Vera Drake: Women's Health and Class

[Coexist]

PLEASE - everyone who has not seen this movie - rent it, buy it - whatever - just SEE IT with other women.

Young woman who have never lived without choice, whose only exposure to the abortion debate has been soft, fuzzy "let's give the unborn a voice" crap, don't realize what the future holds.

This movie shows the hypocrisy of overturning Roe and banning abortion at the state level.

ABORTIONS WILL HAPPEN. They have occurred throughout our history - from roots and herbs to coat hangers, to cushy "weekend away" clinics for wealthy women.

Access to SAFE abortions is the only real issue at stake here. Wealthy women and "partners" of wealthy men will always have access to safe abortions. It is the helpless, the poor, the raped, the molested women in the other 80% that will die terrible deaths in the very near future.

READ The Cider House Rules (the movie doesn't capture Dr. Larch's journey from being abhorred by, then accepting, then embracing the care of women who do not want to carry their pregnancy to term).

Please - take the time to understand. This is a CLASS ISSUE. It all boils down to that.

"With, without.
And who’ll deny it’s what the fighting’s all about?"

Waters/Wright

[Plausible]

1. how do we stop this war on women? n/t

[Coexist]

2. I don't know anymore - when we get off our butts and demonstrate

it is as if it didn't happen - because the media doesn't cover it anymore.

Petitions are a dime a dozen.

All I can do is donate to Planned Parenthood and NARAL and be a good ambassador to the women I meet who are willing to discuss this.

[gypsyslprs]

3. I saw this movie too...

It's a must-see for understanding the abortion debate. As you stated, ABORTION WILL HAPPEN whether its legal or not. Let's work to keep it safe AND legal.

[Coexist]

5. Welcome to DU gypsyslprs!

:hi:

and I totally agree with you.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. It's being shown today on EncoreDrama

I'll be recording it.

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. kicked and recommended

I had forgotten about Vera Drake. Thanks

[Coexist]

7. kicking for Gerri Twerdy Santoro

http://www.lifeandlibertyforwomen.org/about_gerri.html

The name of the woman is Gerri Twerdy Santoro. She was just 28 years old. She was a sister, a daughter, and she was the mother of two daughters when she died a very painful and frightening death.

[Nikki Stone 1]

8. How 'bout we recommend as well?

This is important

[Coexist]

10. I can't recommend my own thread,

but I appreciate you doing so. This issue is coming to a head quickly and we need to be prepared for it.

:hug:

[Nikki Stone 1]

12. You're welcome

And yes, there will be an avalanche of anti-choice legislation

[Coexist]

13. it is strange that in this country, I have to worry about my daughter

having choice. How did things get so out of hand?

Want to know something funny - I have, during our sex talks, told my teenage daughter (and son) that it is their decision whether or not to have sex. That I had no control over what they did with their bodies, that they needed to make their own decisions based on the information and emotional leanings themselves. I answer their questions honestly and they know there are condoms in my nightstand if they want them. They have never taken a condom out of that drawer.

Now, it doesn't mean that they haven't ever had sex- I don't know - my point is - it is not something forbidden to them, as long as they use their brains about it, actually something to enjoy responsibly. By making it forbidden and secret and dirty, aren't they making sex more appealing?

And if their birth control fails, I would like them to have an option other than forced parenthood.

After abortions, birth control is the next item on the Right-to-Life agenda. When will they stop dictating my children's lives to them. Can you imagine black-market birth control pills. It blows my mind.

I know this is rambling but this issue concerns me greatly, and the recent legislation knocks the wind out of me. They don't even care about the woman's health - just if she will DIE.

[Katherine Brengle]

19. You are very wise--

to be so open and understanding with your children. I hope to be able to handle dealing with my daughter when she gets older (she's only going to be 2 in April).

It terrifies me that she might grow up in an America where she has no right to make these decisions for herself...

[Coexist]

22. it isn't easy.

they look so young to be behind the wheel of a car!

But I always try to think what I was doing and thinking at that age. It puts things in perspective. As much as my parents really knew about me, I could have been leading a 'double life'.

I have also worked with kids a lot, and am not so naive that I believe that mine will ever tell me everything. I see how kids act when their parents are not around and how they change their behavior when they are.

[Nikki Stone 1]

28. i know. I never thought it would get to this point either, though that

was always a possibility. Kudos on your openness with your kids. That has to be difficult at times.

[rucky]

9. K&R & Right on the money!

Ask a anti-choicer what types of women they think are getting abortions, and it will confirm that it is a class issue.

Then, just for kicks, ask them if they'd adopt a black crack baby for the cause.

[Nikki Stone 1]

11. Amen!

But this recommending thing is like pulling teeth. Do women and men devalue reproductive freedom so much?

[Coexist]

30. I loved your recent post on abortion

it was fantastic.

[Dora]

14. Absolutely right. It's about keeping the poor, poor.

And it's about keeping women burdened and silenced by the weight of caring for her family.

Controlling abortion is about witholding resources otherwise available only to the wealthy who can break whatever laws they choose, as long as they're discreet. :eyes:

[Nikki Stone 1]

15. I don't even think discretion matters when you're that rich

Look at the boozing Bush twins.

[Dora]

16. They're young enough that it can be swept under a rug in 20 years.

Just like the sweepin' that was done for their daddy.

[Coexist]

17. LOL! But their abortions would be done quietly

in a private hospital in a very nice room with an overnight stay.

[Nikki Stone 1]

25. True enough. Point taken

Probably get manicures and pedicures to go with.

[Katherine Brengle]

18. one quick warning---

Although this film is very important, and poignant at times, it is also very slow-moving, there is not a lot of dialogue at some points, and if the subject matter weren't so compelling, it would be a real bore.

I would go a step further and suggest that any young woman (or man for that matter) who has not seen the film "If These Walls Could Talk" go out and get that one first--I found much more compelling, and it covers more time, both when abortion was illegal and when it was legalized--it is very moving and a very important film.

[Coexist]

24. it is a slow film - at the end I actually wasn't sure if it was over!

I guess I should have put that in.

[Katherine Brengle]

26. It was a little bit of a turn-off, to tell the truth--

I own the film, and it is definitely worth seeing, but if you are trying to reach a younger crowd, you have to move at the pace we are familiar with, ya know?

Also, in ITWCT, the focus is on the US and how abortion has morphed here--in Vera Drake, not the case, which considerably changed the impact for me, even though I still found is relatable to some extent.

It was really more of a historical film--young Americans need to see a more modern depiction.

[LynneSin]

20. But it's been those "helpless and poor" women who have supported Bush

Think about it.

The support that Bush has been getting in states like Mississippi & South Dakota have been from the rural poor, mainly white folks. Hell I was born in one of those types of areas (Rural Pennsylvania - thank goodness our urban areas still outnumber the rural areas) and Bush is seen as a hero. A candidate needs to profess he's a Christian, he loves guns, register republicans and NEVER be caught getting a blowjob and these people will blindly follow wherever these politicians take them.

I don't want abortion overturned but it's been a battle we've been fighting and losing since our last major victory back in 1973.

Maybe when choices are lost and not just abortion, job rights, environment, safely codes, etc and our country hits rock bottom these "helpless and poor" will finally open their eyes and realize that they have fucked themselves from their stupidity at the voting booth

[Coexist]

21. Maybe if we do hit "rock bottom" the backlash will come

but I hate to think about the self-induced abortions that poor and working class women will have to endure until then.

What I like about Vera Drake is how she was SO ordinary - she just wanted to help other women. How many scenes are there of her putting the kettle on for tea. She was a wonderful, caring, selfless woman trying to help other women as best she knew how.

Then you see how the rich young woman gets her abortion. It puts the whole debate in a new light.

[LynneSin]

23. Oh, I so totally agree with you

it breaks my heart that these laws are being passed in states like Mississippi and South Dakota but then again I figured they voted that bastard into office. And when I say "they" I mean those rural white trash idiots that were dumb enough to vote for it. So call me harsh but maybe I just feel a bit less sympathetic about what they could be going through.

The thing with Vera Drake was they were living in a country where they never had a choice. We have the choice and yet we're getting rid of it because of a powerful, rich, elite ruling class that wants to supress the poor. And because it's those "helpless and poor" that keep voting for the powerful, rich, elite to rule - why should I lose sleep at night because of the challenges their women might face if dealing with an unwanted pregnancy.

But I will say this much, if I lived in Mississippi or South Dakota right now, I would stock up on birth control pills because worst case scenario, if I was raped I could take several pills at a time and use them as EC to help deal with my own unwanted pregnancy

[electron_blue]

27. here, here. It's what I've been saying, too.

Definitely a class issue.

[converted_democrat]

29. K&R.... This is such an important issue.. n/t