Comments on: “Defiant Birth”: Impolite Women Who Didn’t Make History

By: Fire Fly

Fire Fly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:00:45 +0000

The book may be “pro-choice” but its author certainly is not. Melinda Tankard Reist has been working with anti-choice, Christian fundamentalist groups for some time now, and has been heavily involved in a lot of anti-woman political activity in Australia, including opposing accessibility of RU486 and promoting Mercy Ministries to young women.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/wired11/dnbq/antichoice.htm

Which isn’t to say I think all her work should be cast aside by feminists. But it’s worth mentioning these other extremely problematic activities of hers to give anyone who might follow up these references a more balanced picture of Tankard Reist’s work and politics so they can go in with a clear picture of where the work is coming from.

By: MomTFH

MomTFH — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:05:03 +0000

Oh, and I should have added, all pregnancies can be valued, too, regardless of prenatal screening and/or diagnostic predictions or results. .-= MomTFH´s last blog ..Race, pregnancy and birth, link round up and reply turned post =-.

By: Kj

Kj — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:27:05 +0000

Wow, I would love to read that book. I’ll have to see if I can find it at my library. It is so hard to defy doctors because they are seen as the ‘authority.’ It is something I have struggled with, particularly regarding my disability. I wish that more doctors would be willing to listen to patients and accept that PWDs are able to make the right choice for them. I admire greatly the women whose stories you have cited.

By: MomTFH

MomTFH — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:59:11 +0000

Thanks for this review. I think this is an important topic that is often ignored in the discussion of reproductive rights and pregnancy / birth activism. Autonomy is important for all bodies. .-= MomTFH´s last blog ..Race, pregnancy and birth, link round up and reply turned post =-.

By: Icca

Icca — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:44:45 +0000

Thank you so much for this review. I really want to pick this book up and read these women’s stories.

By: Ariane

Ariane — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:14:04 +0000

While I was reading the quotes you included, I was painfully aware of the privilege I experienced with my own misdiagnosed fetus – my two year old daughter who was a bundle of (supposedly “abnormal”) chromosomes for a few weeks at the beginning of the second trimester. My obs did not express an opinion. She told me what she knew of the general properties of the syndrome, told me that should I choose to terminate, she would do that for me, but very decidedly did not push in any direction. When I made it clear I would not terminate, she confessed relief, but I don’t believe she would have expressed disdain if I had made the other choice. I could afford a private obs with vested interest in natural childbirth and the right of all women to decide to carry any child.

And then you pointed out that these women were lucky compared to many, many others. And I felt that privilege even more acutely. I don’t cope well with stories of losing babies, but I should probably put that aside to read these women’s stories.

By: Siobhan

Siobhan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:44:30 +0000

Oh, this sounds hard and brilliant to read – the stories you selected for this review made me so angry! but given that there are positive outcomes too, I will have to get a copy to read.
Situations like this are why I get SO ANGRY when people talk about “licences to breed”. I know it’s most commonly used to refer to those who don’t make approved disciplinary choices, but how easily would a “licence” be denied to PWD?

By: lauredhel

lauredhel — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:35:46 +0000

I’m cautiously opening comments on this. For now.

Please note: I’m vigorously, unmovingly pro-choice. Women and the healthcare workers who help them should be neither jailed nor shamed for making their own decisions for their own bodies. Forced-birther remarks, apologism, and links will not be published here. Lastly, this thread is a safe space for PWD; please think twice before commenting if you’re not.