Pro-Choice
The Pro-choice movement most definitely has a frame. According to Goodwin and Jasper, “Frames are simplifying devices that help us understand an organize the complexities of the world” (Goodwin & Jasper 2009: 55). For the pro-choice movement, focusing on the female body and the right to choose abortion is an essential frame to the movement. Looking at NARAL’s website, their mission is to protect the privacy and choices of women (Prochoiceamerica.org). Organizations such as NARAL are committed to the privacy and protection of women to secure legal abortive measures in the event of an unplanned or unhealthy pregnancy. Furthermore, organizations committed to the Pro-Choice movement work with legislators to prevent further regulations from additional intrusive means of restricting abortions for women. For example, the senate recently denied an amendment that would include restrictive language preventing federal subsidies to cover the cost of abortions. The current level of restriction prevents any federal funding for abortion outside of rape, incest, or threat to the life of the mother (cnn.com).
If the pro-choice movement had one iconic face it would be Margaret Sanger. Margaret Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the world (http://www.dianedew.com/sanger.htm) Sanger, one of eleven children, watched as young child her mother’s health suffer due to bearing so many children. In response, in 1912 Sanger abandoned her career as a nurse to pursue her passion of helping women protect themselves from unintended pregnancies. In 1916, Sanger and her sister along with a friend opened the first birth control clinic in the United States. This was no easy fleet for these women, especially during this era. The Comstock Act of 1873 prevented these women from legally distributing contraceptives. A federal law prohibiting the sale and distribution of any materials that could be used as contraception or abortifacients were forbidden under the Comstock Act of 1873 (http://law.jrank.org/pages/5508/Comstock-Law-1873.html). Sanger was arrested and charged on many different occasions due to her work, but ultimately was responsible for a change in laws prohibiting the distribution of contraceptives (http://www.dianedew.com/sanger.htm)Recruiting new members to the pro-choice movement is not limited to a physical identity. Men and women of all walks of life join the forces of the pro-life movement to combat regulation of reproductive rights. Women seek abortions for many different reasons and the goal of many pro-choice organizations and members is to create safe, medically supervised, legal abortion clinics in order to reduce the amount of unsafe abortions performed each year. Pro-choice websites offer many statements made by families and women who have experienced illnesses and even death following an unsafe, illegal abortion. Pro-choice organizations seek less regulation in order to create a safe environment for women to seek an abortion. So, who joins a pro-choice movement? Individuals and organizations may be interested in joining the pro-choice movement on the basis that they see abortions as a right and choice. Furthermore, many people who would potentially be interested in joining the pro-choice movement are those with prior experience with a social movement, such as the women’s movement or the gay liberation movement. Many men may feel the pro-choice movement’s frame does not include benefits for them. Considering that the pro-choice movement works to protect reproductive rights, and most famously the right to abortion, men may feel outside of the frame. The pro-choice movement does not discriminate on the basis of gender and look to men to support the right to privacy and choice of the female body. Let’s not forget that men are an essential proponent in reproduction and absolutely vital for the pro-choice movement’s future successes.
Pro-Life
The pro-life movement in the United States has been just as present in abortion debates as the pro-choice movement. The framing for the pro-life movement is the reinstitution of protection of innocent human life, an unborn child. Nationally, pro-life supporters came together after Roe v. Wade in protest to legislation that ultimately legalized abortion. The pro-life movement does not center on a shared identity of race, gender or class, but rather a common goal of ending abortions globally and preserving the life of an unborn child. Organizations such as Pro-life Action League and National Right to Live work with members to criminalize abortions as well as “the morning after pill” which can potentially cause an abortion. Members of the pro-life movement believe life begins at the moment of conception rather than implantation and their work exceeds the realm of abortion into emergency contraceptive measures. In order to attract new members as well as retaining current members, the pro-life movement uses an emotional approach. Just looking at a few pro-life websites and one can easily see the emotions being used to attract potential members. Be advised, this website http://www.prolife.com/ offers the viewer a close look at graphic pictures and videos of aborted fetuses. Additionally, they offer personal stories and videos of those who have regretted having an abortion. All of these measures are used to attract potential measures and hopefully change the viewpoints and beliefs of pro-choice individuals.
Pro Both??
Pro-both is a new branch of the pro-choice movement. Members affiliated with pro-both want both pro-choice and pro-life by making abortion a rarity, yet not regulating what a woman chooses to do with her own body. According to proboth.org, a pro-both approach looks for strategies to lower abortion rates increase the ability of adults to control the course of their own lives (www.proboth.org). This movement sees choice and life not as opposites, but rather as ways to work together to decrease the amount of abortions occurring annually which is estimated at approximately 1.3 million.
Intersectionality-
Gender, race, and class impact us all differently. The hegemonic categories of each of these would place an individual in a privileged position depending on how many dominant identities one has. For example, the experience of a white, middle-class, woman would be far different from that one a black, working-class woman. The pro-choice and pro-life movements do not regulate their membership based on the categories of race, gender, and class; however, these categories continue to play a vital role in the lives of participants.
Environmental Movement & Pro-Life Movement:
The Environmental movement is framed around preservation and sustainable management of resources. Similar to both the pro-choice and pro-life social movements, the environmental movement is not based on a shared identity of race, gender or socioeconomic class, but rather a shared interest to preserve life. For the environmental movement rather than a human life, members and supporters pursue the sustainability of planet Earth’s life in order to insure a future. Environmentalists are supported by many different organizations ranging from large corporations, such as major automobile manufacturers to grassroots organizations.
From a guys perspective or i guess at least from my perspective, I can say that I am pro-both. This issue is so complicated that there needs to be this other movement in order not to offend some people who are so adamant about one or the other. I am able to see both sides of the movement because I want to accommodate what the woman wants to do with her body. Yet I don't completely understand what is really going on because I'm not the one that has to endure all the hardships that child birth can bring about. A lot of times the question is whether bringing a child into the world is the right thing to do for the parents and the child. If you are unable to take care of yourself or don't have a steady job, why would you want to bring another life into the world? And then that brings up wether to pursue adoption or not. Religious views are also taken into account because there are some families that are so pro-life that the child must born. This is why this issue is so complicated because you know if you take a stand on it, there is always someone that is going to get offended. This is the frame work of either movement because you know you are going to loose people on either side because of their multiple views.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you saw it, but on campus a few months ago or maybe semester before last there were those giant posters on Hayden lawn and by the MU with the pro-life photos and captions. I thought that was a prime example of moral shock for anyone that took the time to look at the posters. Just like on the pro-life website it evoked emotion and it was tough to look at for the next few days. This would have been one way to possibly change peoples views and a strategy to get more people believing that every life is precious.
Travis,
ReplyDeleteI actually did see the pro-life demonstration by the MU. I took the time to talk to some of the demonstrators and ask them about their movement. I also was intrigued by the different figures displaying fetal development. The sizes ranged from six weeks to 9 months, or full term. A woman also explained to me different characteristics of a fetus during the different stages of development, for example, that a fetus less than two months old already has fingers, toes, and organs. I was shocked too by some of the pictures because clearly the purpose was to provoke an emotional response from bystanders.
I appreciate your honesty with your stance on abortion. For many men, they may feel this is a "woman's issue," but in actuality men bare the consequences of the pro-life/pro-choice debate. For example, if a woman chooses to abort a child and the father opposes. What about the father's wishes? This is a problematic factor in the movement because men are often silenced.
As a man this is a hard topic to discuss without coming off as sexist. Personally, I am pro-choice. I believe that in our era of technology and understanding that women should have the choice whether or not she wants to endure a 9 month pregnancy along with another 18 years of raising a child. One problem with pro-choice that I have seen is that it voids people from taking responsibility for their actions. Sex and procreation is a right and should be protected but not abused. Women who are for lack of a better word, whores, may get an abortion because pregnancy is an unwanted result of their lifestyle. This is not the designed reason for abortions and gives fuel to the pro-life’s argument. The pro-both movements is something that I have never heard of but from your description makes perfect sense. Women should have the right to choose not abuse.
ReplyDeleteChase,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your honesty. I'm not sure why you made the statement that you feel like you are coming off as a sexist? Perhaps many men feel that abortions are "women's issues." The fact is, abortions affect everyone. There is nothing wrong with being "pro-choice." I think you present a valid argument when you suggest that abortions can be problematic in the sense they allow women to avert from responsibility. Would you agree that if abortions were illegal, women would begin to take more precaution when participating in sexual activies? Or do you think that the number of unsafe abortions would increase? I'm constantly on the fence between pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-both seems to be a more appropriate approach to the entire debate.