Where oh where to begin? For a sexologist and sexuality educator, the news about Governor Sarah Palin's nomination and the subsequent information that has come to light about her family is simultaneously a nightmare and a dream come true. Between her pro-life, anti-sex ed, pro-gun, anti-gay marriage, pro-creationism beliefs and her teen daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy, there is plenty of material to address.
First things first. Full disclosure: I am pro-comprehensive sexuality education, pro-choice (I believe that individuals are entitled to make their choices when it comes to their bodies), pro-same sex marriage, and I firmly believe that religion has no place in public education. And quite frankly, the nomination of Sarah Palin excites me as an Obama supporter, but scares the crap out of me as a woman.
When I was sixteen, two years before I had sex for the first time, I carried a loose-leaf with the words, "Support Vaginal Pride," plastered across the front. I had picked the sticker up at a choice rally sometime in 1992. I have always been pro-choice in theory, but until I became pregnant with my son, I didn't have any idea how pro-choice I really was. While I love my son, pregnancy was excruciating for me. I was depressed, throwing up daily for twenty weeks, uncomfortable, my body felt like it didn't belong to me, and I had tried to get pregnant! I couldn't imagine having to go through this (let alone raising a child in the end) if I wasn't ready physically let alone emotionally. While pregnancy was right for me at a certain point in my life, it definitely isn't right for everyone, especially a teenager.
Going through with a pregnancy - whether it is a fetus with special needs or not - does not make a woman a hero. It does not make her brave. What is brave is being honest with yourself and determining whether or not you are capable of bringing another life into this world and unconditionally taking care of it. It is equally brave and honest to admit that you cannot care for a baby, and thus, decide to terminate. Palin isn't a martyr. Let's be sure that we don't place her on a pedestal for her actions. She made her decision and many other women make theirs. I am a supporter of all choices and Palin is no better than anyone else.
Yet from a sexually political perspective, Palin is terrifying. Sarah Palin is anti-choice across the board. She doesn't believe in abortions for girls and women who are victims of incest or rape.
As for Bristol Palin, the Governor's pregnant 17-year-old, she has followed in the footsteps of many girls this year, becoming yet another statistic of teen pregnancy. I don't know when it became in vogue for young girls to forgo protection, get knocked up and refuse to consider the option of termination, but clearly our policies about reproductive health services and sexuality education (specifically the abstinence-only movement) have done a great disservice to our youth. Quite frankly this incident underscores the fact that Governor Palin's adherence to abstinence-only-until-marriage sexuality education is a waste of time and money.
Let's try to remember that those of us who support a woman's right to choose aren't suggesting that all women run out and terminate pregnancies. We believe that every woman has the right to make her own decision; for some that means termination, for others it means continuing the pregnancy. In the end, who am I (and who are all these politicians?) to suggest that women can't do that? What was right for Palin (and questionably her daughter) is definitely not right for all.
I really wish that the religious right would put more time and resources into promoting adoption, assisting pregnant teens, etc. I believe that if more women had access to assistance in carrying a child to term, they would be more likely to want to. But at the end of the day, it should be a woman's CHOICE on what she does to her body.
Karl Rove has announced that Bristol Palin's baby, officially now named Freedom Reagan Palin, will be auctioned as part of a fundraiser for the GOP cause, The Family Values Straight Shootin' Express. This is a no reserve auction, and bidding is open to anyone. Word is that various Russian Oligarchs and Saudi Sheiks have already registered to bid. Don't miss out on this golden opportunity to bid on an American classic!
Since you say, "While pregnancy was right for me at a certain point in my life, it definitely isn't right for everyone, especially a teenager." Would you then agree that if the same logic was applied to Obama's mother (considering the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy), and if abortion happened to be legal in 1961, is it too far of a stretch to suggest we may not have Barack today?
So, "Doctor", I suppose you have sage advice regarding the price of tea in China?
What are you doing here, exactly, if you _aren't_ interested in hearing the opinion of a sexologist? Didn't read the title?
While you and I can agree that Governor Palin and (questionably her teenage daughter)
have every right to do what they have done and are doing, the same agreement would not
be afforded you or I.
My right to chose my own outcome in either of their situations would only be accepted if I choose
'their way.'
Unwanted pregnancies are common.
Condoms don't always work.
The only sure way to stop aids, stds and unwanted pregnancies is not to engage in sex.
Belittle those who are successful convincing the youth not to have sex - I for one prefer 12 - 18 yr olds protected from the sexual predators by good advice.
Sexual abuse of children has gotten out of hand and is promoted by the media pushing early sex to the kids.
Sexual abuse of children is a direct result of the media bashing attempts to try and convince kids not to have sex - the constant bashing of the "failed" programs can be seen from BEFORE the programs were even started.
You say that you don't want your daughters being used as sex toys for all the boys - you have a very weird way of showing it.
NOT having sex should be lauded - try and find very many frequent mainstream media articles that don't belittle it being taught and practiced.
I don't believe many who advocate sex education care about the kids at all.
I do believe that those who make fun of "no sex before marriage" condon the spread of stds and abortion as an acceptable evil that must be tolerated.
No wonder so many children are being used by the sex industry - the media endorses sex for kids.
Gov. Palin's worldview on sex and contraception is unimpeachably alarming, and doesn't completely square with the realities of teens today, and would clearly serve to eradicate the reproductive choices and freedoms that many of our female (and male) forbears fought vigorously for. This is serious business.
I wish you could send this post out to all of the puny number of disgruntled older white women who had their hearts set on Hillary, and are writing posts and sending vicious e-mails about Barack Obama in an effort to punish him and elect the McCain/Palin ticket which would eviscerate ROE v WADE, and spit in the face of GISWOLD v CONNECTICUT - two landmark Supreme Court cases that are the majority underpinnings of the reproductive choices so many women take for granted today.
To be sure, many of these "disgruntled, older white women" were on the front lines of the push to facilitate those those rights. And now, many of them will stop at nothing to see that Palin is elected - a woman who paints herself as feminist crusader and supporter of working families, but who, like McCain, opposes EQUAL WORK FOR EQUAL PAY, and would be comfortable with the appointment of conservative justices on The Supreme Court to overturn ROE v WADE.
Dr. Logan, thanks for a great post. I hope you and others will be able to through to the disgruntled, older white female obstructionists who are foolishly voting for McCain against their own interests.
Now when kids are given honest and comprehensive sex ed, they know the choices before them and can be proactive about their decisions. I'm a 33-year-old woman now, and I shudder to think what my life would have been like if I hadn't been educated early on that I have agency over my body, and that I have a choice about my destiny.
But then, that's not what the right wing wants women to know, is it?
(I have deleted all but Palin's responses as well as those not pertaining to the topic)
The following questionnaire was sent to all candidates for Governor with their responses listed in the order we received them.
SP = Sarah Palin (R )
1. Complete the sentence by checking the applicable phrases (you can check more than one).
Abortion should be:
Banned throughout entire pregnancy.
Legal to save the life of the mother.
Legal in case of rape and incest.
Legal if the baby is handicapped.
Legal if the baby has a genetic defect.
Legal in the first trimester.
Legal in the second trimester.
Legal in the third trimester.
Other:__________________
SP: I am pro-life. With the exception of a doctor’s determination that the mother’s life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending an innocent’s life.
3. Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
SP: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.
continued...