Reproductive rights are the subject of extensive debate in capitol buildings and classrooms alike. In fact, just the other week, a friend and I got into a heated argument over the autonomy of a woman versus that of a fetus. My friend believes that a woman's right to make certain choices- namely abortion- end when fertilization occurs. Conversely, I'm very pro-choice for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I consider myself a feminist and as such value an individual's right to determine their own medical procedures in a higher regard than a fetus. When I hear about the over 200 laws and regulations passed in the three years’ time (2011-13) -more restrictions than were passed in the previous decade (Guttmacher, 2014)- I don't see lawmakers protecting
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Texts as early as Hippocrates', Aristotle’s, and even the Bible describe the circumstances and methods of abortion in the Ancient world. In the U.S., abortion was commonly practiced by midwives until the late 19th century, when the profession of (male) doctors became popular, and midwives became a thing of country dwellers and hippies. States also began passing laws that an abortion could only be performed if the woman's life was in danger. This cultural shift in occupation and legislation was part of a backlash against first-wave feminism; an effort to control women and confine them to a traditional childbearing role (OBOS Contributors, 2014). Today, this sexist school of thought persists, along with a growing ultra-conservative movement that is largely …show more content…
The third side hoped shocking both sides into seeing reason would lead to negotiations, "but nobody blinked" and the Bill of Life was enacted. I don't think it was a coincidence that Shusterman wrote that unwinding as a process for 13 to 18 year olds. As someone currently in this age group, I can attest to the fact that we are the age group with the least amount of control. Some might argue that babies and the elderly and sick have even less, but they don't have enough mental or physical capacities to fathom the true life they're missing out on. In Unwind, the three main teenagers who “kick AWOL” (run away illegally to avoid being unwound) represent lack of control by a variety of circumstances. Connor is signed to be unwound by his parents because he’s a “troublemaker”-rebellious, impulsive, and stubborn. This makes him a perfect candidate for an Unwind, because in the words of Samson, another Unwind, it’s better to “be partly great than entirely useless,” (Shusterman,
Texts as early as Hippocrates', Aristotle’s, and even the Bible describe the circumstances and methods of abortion in the Ancient world. In the U.S., abortion was commonly practiced by midwives until the late 19th century, when the profession of (male) doctors became popular, and midwives became a thing of country dwellers and hippies. States also began passing laws that an abortion could only be performed if the woman's life was in danger. This cultural shift in occupation and legislation was part of a backlash against first-wave feminism; an effort to control women and confine them to a traditional childbearing role (OBOS Contributors, 2014). Today, this sexist school of thought persists, along with a growing ultra-conservative movement that is largely …show more content…
The third side hoped shocking both sides into seeing reason would lead to negotiations, "but nobody blinked" and the Bill of Life was enacted. I don't think it was a coincidence that Shusterman wrote that unwinding as a process for 13 to 18 year olds. As someone currently in this age group, I can attest to the fact that we are the age group with the least amount of control. Some might argue that babies and the elderly and sick have even less, but they don't have enough mental or physical capacities to fathom the true life they're missing out on. In Unwind, the three main teenagers who “kick AWOL” (run away illegally to avoid being unwound) represent lack of control by a variety of circumstances. Connor is signed to be unwound by his parents because he’s a “troublemaker”-rebellious, impulsive, and stubborn. This makes him a perfect candidate for an Unwind, because in the words of Samson, another Unwind, it’s better to “be partly great than entirely useless,” (Shusterman,