Ensler on Palin

Eve Ensler, creator of famed The Vagina Monologues & founder of V Day, a global movement to prevent violence against women, has spent her career speaking out about issues relating to women and power. Today she offered up something else about women & power - a piece on Sarah Palin entitled, Drill, Drill, Drill.

I know some are getting fatigued over the Palin drama...I risk offending you, alienating you, because I think there is a lot to consider. I do not post this out of knee-jerk liberalism - I truly feel we are at a crucial juncture - the fight of our lives. As Eve Ensler says in her piece, "I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands."

Here is some of of what Eve had to say:

I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.

But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.

and

I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack.

Eve Ensler is well known, but she is not the only powerful woman speaking her mind - about 100,000 in one week's time have done the same. Women who are young and old, from all over are lending their voices to a chorus of concern - not out of hate for Sarah Palin but out of love for our country and our children and grandchildren. To read these earnest, eloquent remarks, visit Women Against Sarah Palin. (and for fact checking, there is this).
Perhaps, like me, you will be moved to add your voice. Together we are powerful. Like the women who started the site, I will sign off with a simple, "Viva!"

control

Withholding (age-appropriate) information regarding reproduction and contraception clearly doesn't work much of the time. But it makes sense, I guess, in a culture in which birthing women are often given information selectively or with such strong spin so that they will just do as they are told, even if that means lining up for a host of unnecessary interventions. Actually, this seems to be working out as intended much of the time regarding birth - so many (but not all!!) women have completely abdicated decision making under great pressure from our culture and system. But we need only look at the family situation of the RNC's best & brightest (said with unkind scorn, I admit it), Sarah Palin, to see that a back up plan to abstinence is needed. (Check out this great post for more on this topic)

Why can't we trust people to know all the facts and options and then make informed decisions based on their family creed or the advice of their trusted care provider? It seems curious to me that some would rather trust a teen to make good decisions as a teen parent, altering the course of their entire life, than to trust them with knowledge of contraception in case abstinence isn't the ultimate choice they make.

Seems like many parents, churches and care providers don't feel secure in their positions as leaders and are withholding information, clutching at control, out of fear.

And it's not working.

Me? I like the wisdom of 38 Special: Hold On Loosely