Ladies, Tomorrow's Election Day and YOU Will Decide Who Is In Charge of Your Body | Dear Walmart Moms #4

Hi Anne: I am so humbled that you thought of me to include in your conversations with your “Walmart Moms” readership. If I had one thing I would want to say to them i would want to dispel their notions that I have no respect for “LIFE”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I consider childbirth to be one of the most amazing experience we as humans beings can witness; and it is because I feel this way that I accept the “label” PRO-CHOICE. The fact IS I would much prefer to be “labeled” and I do self identify as “pro-autonomous” when it comes to the serious matter of bringing another human being into the world.

Motherhood Is A Huge Responsibility

As a woman, I am the one who is charged with the biological responsibility of giving birth and undertaking years of nurturing and protecting that child until they attain their inherent birthright, which is their own sense of autonomy. This responsibility - I take so seriously – that I would not seek the counsel of any other person to make this decision for me.

Motherhood is a decision I must make on my own – with no intervention from government, religion or family and without the threat of investigation, prosecution jail. Such coercion would feel like torture to me. and as a mater of fact: I believe that autonomy is a fundamental universal human right and the first pillar of Freedom.

Bodily Autonomy & the UN Convention on Torture

In a recent conversation online I was informed about the ruling affirming the right to bodily autonomy in McFall v. Shimp. The US Senate ratified the UN Convention on Torture in 1994. The legal language in Article 1 Sec 9 of the UN Convention on Torture defines torture as:

“The intentional infliction of severe mental or physical pain or suffering by, or with the consent of, state authorities for a specific purpose. Methods of torture include rape, sexual assault, and forced pregnancy/childbirth.”

Are Republicans Violatating Women’s Legal Right to Bodily Autonomy?

In my view, the over 1100 pieces of legislation, some extending “personhood” at the moment of conception, others mandating doctors to force a woman to listen to the heartbeat with a vaginal probe, while they read to her and force her to look at the fetus may violate the UN Convention on Torture. The “personhood” legislation introduced in Congress to outlaw contraception and criminalize abortion in every situation except “legitimate rape” and incest fits into this definition of Torture. Indeed, even the mention of such legislation - feel like torture to my American-ness.

I would never wish this fate on any American woman, even if we do not share the same political affiliations. I am sure NO American woman wants to see another in bondage. And the mounting assault perpetrated by Republicans on the rights of American women feels more like the shackles of bondage as every day goes by.

Desiree Jordan
Founder Unite Women New York
UniteWomenNY.org