Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?
Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?
By Jessica Ann Mitchell
If you live in Atlanta, Macon, or Augusta GA, you may have come across one of these signs.
Black & Unwanted billboards are springing up in various areas of Georgia. The Radiance Foundation and Georgia’s Operation Outrage have joined forces to encourage Black women to stop having abortions and to encourage Black couples to adopt black children. When I first heard about the website toomanyaborted.com, I had my own opinions. I am a strong advocate for women’s rights. And I have to admit, I didn’t really give their initiative the time of day. It infuriated me. The billboards along Georgia highways upset me even more. However, upon putting my frustration aside, I realized that they may have a few points to their argument.
Let me first say that I believe in woman’s right to decide what to do with her body. Yet, the fact that there has been a historical attack on Black life for the past few hundred years is ever present. The Eugenics movement is very real. There are those out there that are trying to create a prototype for the “perfect” human gene pool and for many, Black isn’t a part of it. Scientists, corporations, and governments have attempted/ are attempting to increase particular human characteristics while decreasing others. How can this be accomplished? By reproducing more of what is “wanted” and discarding more of what is “unwanted”. As a result, Black women have been sterilized unknowingly. Black men have been castrated. Black babies have been killed in the name of science. All of this is true. I do believe there is a movement to eradicate Black people, especially when we stand in the way of capitalist gain.
For example, Africa has been swarming with NGOs advocating safe sex through the usage of condoms. While condoms may protect against HIV/AIDS, it could also affect population growth. This is interesting, because the conversation then turns to the “Africa is over populated” rhetoric. This is completely untrue but it’s being said in an effort (I believe but could be wrong) to decrease the amount of children born to African mothers. Africa is the richest continent on the planet in terms of natural resources. Yet, many of these natural resources such as oil, gold, cocoa, fish, diamonds, tanzanite, coltane, and much more, are controlled by European countries/corporations and world powers (the U.S. included). Even though there is enough food in all of Africa to feed all the people of Africa and more, the capitalist mode of production within this neocolonial era has made it so that these resources are unattainable to many African people. This control was obtained through slavery, colonialism, and neocolonialism. African people are fighting to gain back the control over their natural resources. Wouldn’t you think that this fight would be easier for global corporations if less Africans were in the world? This is why I question the theories behind the beginning of HIV/AIDS.
What does this have to do with Black women and Abortions?
Well, if you are Black, even if the world calls you Latino or American, the African descent or DNA that runs through your veins is often the ultimate prevailer in determining your socioeconomic status in the world. If you look around, you will find that almost everywhere you go in the world Black/African lives are secondary to others in society. We are often the ones that suffer the most and die first. Many times these are needless, easily preventable deaths or illnesses. Yet, somehow, there is always a mysterious issue in solving these problems. This, I think, is not a coincidence. Indeed Black is unwanted except when Black life is used for hard labor or for entertainment purposes. Ironically, in both fields Black life is used, exploited, and then discarded after use.
Therefore, because of the history of Eugenics in the U.S. and abroad, I do not completely disagree with the sentiments of the Radiance Foundation. There are people out there that do not want Black life to grow and prosper. However, I do not believe that attacking the reproductive rights of Black women is the answer to fighting Eugenics. This is because there are many factors that surround any Black woman’s discussion to get an abortion. The reason why there is a higher rate of abortion among Black women than other races is because of higher poverty rates. Maybe we should be looking more into poverty and trying to alleviate poverty in black communities. The fight then becomes against the true source of higher abortions rates instead of against Black women.
Black women also face a lot of scrutiny when we become pregnant that other races do not face. If we become pregnant out of wedlock we are the dreaded “baby mama”. If we have a baby that we cannot financially take care of without government assistance, we are labeled as “irresponsible lazy welfare Queens”. If we take the father of the child to court for child support, we are “bringing a brotha down.” If we get pregnant by different men, we are a “Whore/Ho”. If we give the child up for adoption, we are uncaring mothers. If we choose not to go through with the pregnancy, we are labeled as abortion sluts.
We’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t!
Furthermore, a woman’s body may not be ready to handle the effects of another pregnancy. She may not have the financial ability to take care of a child (in which case adoption could be an option). She may not be mentally stable enough to go through with a pregnancy. Some of you may be thinking, “Well she shouldn’t have gotten pregnant”. This is the sentiment of some Black women. And I understand where you’re coming from. But this is a decision that you should have to make for your own body. If I were to come along and force you to give birth without your consent, how would you feel? This is the experience of our Great Great Grandmothers.
On plantations, many of them were raped and forced to give birth over and over again against their will. These rapes, along with the forced child births, wreaked havoc on their bodies and spirits. We know live under different circumstances. Fortunately, we can now determine for ourselves. This is why I am reluctant to fully support the efforts of the Radiance Foundation and Georgia’s Operation Outrage. I do not wish to teeter between the lines of force and choice. I will always be for choice.
However, I do agree with them in that choices should always be made in conjunction with full knowledge of what we are doing, so that we make the correct decisions for our lives. Abortion is not always the best choice. There are black women experiencing medical problems, mental anxiety, and depression in conjunction with the abortion/s they had. This is a decision that should not be taken lightly and should be accompanied with knowledge in order to prevent this from happening.
I also support their efforts to encourage adoption in the Black community. I find that we get upset about white people adopting black children yet we do not take on the obligation to take care of these children ourselves.
Whew…that was a lot of writing! What do you think? Should black women stop getting abortions? Do you agree or disagree with the Radiance Foundation?
38 Responses to Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?
Leave a Reply
The Death Of Myspace: Are you still using it…
The Death Of Myspace: Are you still using it… A few weeks ago a friend of a friend asked me what I was doing on my computer. He said, “ What are on? Twitter? Myspace? Facebook?” I looked up from my computer with a confused look on my face and stated with a part laugh, [...]
I understand if a woman has one abortion. Maybe it wasn’t the right time in her life to have a baby. But there are some of us that are getting 3 and 4 abortions. Thats just crazy. And if they are going to do that, then maybe they should be sterilized! I am for women’s rights but 3 abortions is just ridiculous and can cause more harm to your body than having the baby.
i used to believe in the rights of a woman to her body position. however if a woman is so eager to have the right to do whatever she wants with her body she should start by closing her legs. its always funny to hear how women can’t control themselves or rather don’t choose to by being abstinent but quickly gain thier confidence when walking into an abortion clinic. when i was pro abortion i was thinking about the rape/incest/ etc. scenario but as i’ve grown into a young woman i see that that is quite rare. when a woman is pregnant her body no longer belongs to just her- everything she eats, listens to, and partakes in involves not just her but her baby as well.
and anyway who wants to deal with the emotional trauma of killing their own child.
I believe that a woman has right to choose- to choose not to get pregnant. Now if a woman has been raped or something of that nature I still don’t see why she should abort a baby because of those circumstance, adoption is a choice. Who cares what a man calls you or what society labels us (baby mama, welfare queens). It’s not what you are called but what you answer to.
excellent article…. the statistics are so horribly skewed that it’s difficult to consider anything EXCEPT a lopsided attack against the black community… While there may be other factors in a woman’s abortion decision, it’s painfully clear that empowering a woman to have a child despite difficulties is not the goal of Planned Parenthood, most especially among black women. I wonder how much of a coincidence it is that Margaret Sanger, their founder, was part of the eugenics movement….
It’s not what you are called but what you answer to.
And to Whom you answer.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I do agree with most of your comments. The first choice that a woman should utilize is the choice to close her legs when she knows that she is not ready to be a parent. That’s how it would be if we lived in a perfect world but we don’t. Thus, I am still not willing to persecute my sistas that have chosen to get abortions due to their varying circumstances. And the discomfort is not just about name calling “welfare Queen” etc. But these stereotypes also influence public policies that go against the prosperity of Black families. The movie Claudine shows a great example of a Black woman that chose to have all of her babies but was stereotyped as a welfare Queen. While at the same time, the government disapproved of her working and having a male father figure in the household. The second she got a job or got married, her assistance was gone. This still happens today. If you get a job, it doesn’t pay enough, you don’t get to spend time with your children, and you do not get enough government assistance. If you don’t get a job you’re lazy, a burden to society, and government assistance still is not enough. If you have a man living in the household your government assistance diminishes. If you don’t have a man or father figure for your children, you’re labeled as a promiscuous whore or baby mama. It is painfully clear that the more we support these stereotypes against our sistas, the more public policy and the U.S. government reinforces them. If we want our sistas to have their babies and go through with their pregnancies, we have to be there to support them mentally, monetarily, and politically. If we support sistas more, maybe they won’t feel like they need to get an abortion in order to go forward in life. If we continue to support the stereotypes against our sistas, we become participants in the machine against Black families, Black life, and Black rights.
@jamthelgb,,, working as an Eligibility Worker in the 80′s, I think the Dept. of Hlth & Human Services has revised their eligibility requirements mentioned in your post. More detrimental to the Black Race is the abortion of Black families by female bread winners. Because of income, our Race discard their male partners more than other Race. Lets not confuse casualties of discrimination, racism, and slavery with those whom have the power to build a stronger race.
@ kreeoh, I’m not 100% sure about other states but in Georgia, woman plus man still equals less benefits. And any potential income, even if you are still struggling to pay your bills, could decrease benefits. Also, I do not believe that Black women should take the blame alone for the abortion rates. It takes a man to impregnate a woman. I don’t think men realize how much of an influence they have over our lives. If more men wanted their babies or supported us, more babies would be born. But so often when we say we are pregnant, many black men take this as their cue to exit our lives. I know plenty of wonderful Black fathers so I don’t believe that this applies to all Black men but there are definitely many that do not uphold their responsibilities. And frankly, are wishing for us to get abortions just so that they won’t have to deal with the mother or pay child support. I don’t want this to turn into another Black woman or man bashing discussion but it takes two to tango. Why is it that Black women are always the ones to blame when it comes to discussions concerning the family and children? Strong Black men have a great influence over the potential of the black family and vice versa. Where are the Brothas in this? When does their responsibility towards the unborn and born children come into play?
@kreeoh, let us not forget that it wasn’t a womans choice to take on the role of “Breed” winner, moreover she had no choice. The position we play in our families have been assigned due to circumstance and isnt an intended disregard to the “men” in our lives. And I’m not sure what state and city you live in but in Chicago, IL, Cook County what @jamthelgb said is particularly the case.
I understand the issues that feed into this problem but I do think black women need to be more responsible. There most certainly is an attack against black life and I think it is rather sad that we have so many members in our own community who are active participants in snuffing out black lives.
Hmmmmm…this is all too, too sad. Abortion…Labels…my sisters! The way our community or country views us is a very important matter. To be viewed as a burden to society or as lazy women; these are serious reputations that along with them come less support by borough, city and state officials. So our reputation as a people, is a huge part in how we function as a people. But I believe power or right, is very interesting thing. ardon my frankness…but it seems like since my sisters have been given the power or right to do what they please with their bodies, it seems many of them have decided to help destroy black life instead of preserve it. I’ve gone to many events where abortion is discussed because of the horrific situations some of my sisters experience. But from my understanding, most woman get abortions because they weren’t responsible with their bodies in the first place. Here is where I believe the use of ones right and power need to be applied the most. There are always consequences to our actions, but it seems like many of my sisters believe abortion is the escape from the consequences. I agree that supporting stereotypes for my people is counterproductive, but I also believe that you call a spade a spade. Lets start considering adoption before destruction. And lets start thinking plan before pleasure. I do not support abortion (I think that’s clear) but I do believe in having the right and power to choose what you do with your life. And so I think if my sisters don’t wise up, we will have been the murders of our on people, not any eugenics movement. And though I know this is a very sensitive topic for women, I thought since it entails the preservation of my people that I could exercise my right as a black man and share.
Peace and War
I agree we should reduce the number of circumstances making abortion an option… More important for advertisers, Hollywood, and the media to stop portraying Black Men as undesirable partners. Increase the presence of Black males in ad, movie, and television couples. We cater to Racist by accepting Black female actress’ with white males. This does not guarantee that the show won’t be canceled, or increased the white audience.
Black female professionals and Head-of-Households should embrace the fact that their financial position shouldn’t dissolve the two parent household. Build a strong race by keeping you family intact.
@ jam “Where are the brothas in this?” Thats a very good question. I think too many brothers aren’t responsible when it comes to owning up to the blessings and consequences of sex. And ALL of them need to man up when it comes to raising their children. But I have say this, once abortion became a women rights issue, it ceased to be a family issue. When something as serious as childbearing becomes exclusive to one gender, eventually the excluded must take a backseat. So as man, we’ve been publically told by women, “this is our decision, not yours.” Who argues with that? I mean the statement has rang so loud that governement officials and such chime in with you all. Now once again, i’m all for adoption and personally raising my children. As kreeoh said we need to keep the Black family together, and in order to do that sometimes you have to let go of the power or rights you want individually so that things can work collectively.
@ C. L. Spencer good point brotha! I agreee that individualism is not always a good concept, especially when it comes to community building. In fact, I believe that individualism has been the down fall of the Black community. I completely understand were you and Kreeoh are coming from. However, I think that the reason abortion became a “women’s issue” is because too often patriarchy reigned supreme over women’s lives and bodies.We were left out of decisions over our what should happen with our bodies. As I pointed out in the article, this goes especially for Black women. We were often forced into to pregnancies and forced into births. Patriarchy has historically led to the detriment of women because of the exerted control over women by men. So the first place that power needs to be let go should be in letting go of patriarchy so that we can move foward as a cohesive unit that doesn’t feel the need to fight against each other because of sexist disparities.
Thank you so much for your insight brotha. It is nice to see a Black man actively participating in such a pivotal discussion.
Valid point and well said sista!
So I look forward to finding some ways where we can encourage our people to make cohseive family and cultural decisions.
I have to be a part of the discussion if i’m going to be part of the solution, right? Lol!
Thank you for your honesty!
Peace and War
For me it comes down to a couple of things:
1) Starting when they are young. We have GIRLS out there pretending to be grown as hell women, more woman than me or my ma. So it’s normal now for girls to be popping the kids out and have 3 by the time she’s 15. Education on many levels need to be given. Condoms need to be available, parents need to be comfortable talking about sex, guidelines need to be set up in households, both set of parents need to be talking to the children as couples when they start dating. You have to nip it from the start.
2) When a woman is “grown” she needs to be making grown choices. A lot of people say what if she’s used to a chaotic life. So what? There has to be something that says I’m worth more than this. So you’re on foodstamps and your neighbour sells weed. That doesn’t mean you have to play open/shut them with your legs.
In order for you to do somthing better for self you have to make the initial choice to start with self. Setting values and standards for self is not going against your blackness. That way you won’t have to make the decision of should I get an abortion. That way you will be able to raise your children in a stable environment cause you’re not in high school playing around while “Jerome” is busy calling you the school ho.
I think it starts with the state of mind. That’s what determines if you need to stop with anything. if you cut down on the starting you won’t have to stop as much.
Great article @Jam and this is a very important topic. Even though i believe that us as women were given this right I think a lot of careless decisions on whether to have or not to have a child wouldn’t be a topic of discussion. If the communities, the spouses, and more people acted as a unit to the uneducated or misguided women who are pregnant and have no idea what choice to make. In the end it should still be a woman’s decision , and she should not be made to think bad about her decisions. Instead she should be satisfied and content with the decision she has made , and not stereotyped by either decision.
When the final record is written about the sojourn of our African people through the horrors of the Maafa (Black Holocaust), the trials, triumphs, blessings and errors, I am convinced that the subject of abortion will be one of the most shameful chapters of this complex and tragic story.
Since 1973, with the advent of the era of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood, Euro-feminism, the collapse of the black family and media-driven values systems, African Americans have sacrificed over 18 million of our would-be fellow citizens to the alter of abortion. The consequences of the disposal of 1/3 of our population, which would all be age 37 and under, will be felt for at least a century and could very well be the single greatest pathway to our elimination from the U.S. population as early as 2070.
There are some 14 stated reasons that women abort their progeny. I don’t know of any instances where Black women abort the children of respectable, responsible, caring and supportive men; not to say that it doesn’t happen — I just know know about it.
If all the reasons for continued abortion were made retroactive back some 200 years ago, then the present population of Blacks in the U.S. would be so low that we would have disappeared as a measurable group within this nation’s mix of ethnic communities. Abortion is a terrible act of infanticide and it is merely another product of European mis-education of this negro. The overwhelming population of our mother continent Africa still value children so highly that abortion is considered as a crime against the entire family and a woman would not think of offending her matriarchs by cutting off their lineage.
I AM pro-choice…I just am horrified that Blacks keep making such horribly wrong choices. For a woman to destroy members of the next generation of an entire clan, or in the case of my oldest brother to have discarded the nieces and nephews that never had a chance to love and teach, is something that is totally contrary to the ethics and values of our Great Ancestors, who sacrificed so much for us in this time; many of whom were themselves the result of “unplanned pregnancies” as well as outright violations of our grandmothers who too often lacked the protection of the men of our race.
Today, we men should know better and we CAN stand up and defend the women of our race. I suggest that we begin to look at Planned Parenthood, Euro lesbianism and drive-by sperm donors as far, far worse than the Ku Klux Klan. Least we should not be aware, the KKK did NOT kill in 150 years as many Blacks in the U.S. as the abortion mills kill EVERY WEEK.
Black People, what are our priorities? How can we justify the ongoing killing of nearly a half million of our babies each year for 37 years straight by this industrial killing machine called abortion? Do we envision a future worth fighting for that does not include our babies?
@ Keidi Thanks for joining the conversation Brotha! You raise some very poignant points. However, I would like to point out that infanticide has been practiced in various parts of Africa for thousands of years. And for a variety of reasons. Our ancestors are not out of the loop when it comes to this practice. African writers have even discussed this in their work. For example, Chinua Achebe’s famous book entitled “Things Fall Apart” caused a stir when Achebe questioned the traditional practice of twin infanticide among an ethnic group in Nigeria. Sometimes, infanticide in Africa (Zimbabwe for example) was practiced under the thumb of patriarchy in which girl babies were less valuable than boys. In some cases, girl babies were discarded. This happened/happens in China as well. Our ancestors should be honored; however, they are not free of fault from the act of infanticide.
To Read About Infanticide in Zimbabwe Follow Link:
http://articles.latimes.com/1987-07-20/news/mn-3010_1
To Read About Chinua Achebe and Things Fall Apart Follow Link:
http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-02-19/art/things-fall-apart-thinsp-turns-50-this-year/
Love,
Jam
Greetings Jam
Your points are well noted. Yet, I don’t think that murderous excesses in Africa are the relevant issue herein as the question posed is “Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?” If Africa were to be the comparative, then where have we seen voluntary behavior on our Motherland continent degenerate to the point to put the survival oft any nation’s population at risk? The exception is South Africa, which, through abortion, gender confusion, acceptance of birth control and fratricidal behavior, has dipped to the point of zero population growth. Compared to all the other African nations, the social behaviors of the colonized South Africans most resemble those of their African American cousins, much to their detriment.
Maybe my response to the direct question of this column was ambiguous. “Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?” — Yes, immediately. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Black Women should take primary responsibility for overcoming the fertility deficit by altering a number of their recently accepted social, psychological and cultural behaviors with regard to the sanctity of the family.
Oh, boy! Did I open up a big can of Stinky with that statement?
@ Keidi, Thanks for your response brotha and your active involvement in this dialogue.
The only reason I brought up Africa is because you brought up the practices of our ancestors.
You said, “Abortion is a terrible act of infanticide and it is merely another product of European mis-education of this Negro. The overwhelming population of our mother continent Africa still value children so highly that abortion is considered as a crime against the entire family and a woman would not think of offending her matriarchs by cutting off their lineage….For a woman to destroy members of the next generation of an entire clan, or in the case of my oldest brother to have discarded the nieces and nephews that never had a chance to love and teach, is something that is totally contrary to the ethics and values of our Great Ancestors, who sacrificed so much for us in this time;”
I was pointing out that your statement is not true. Our ancestors did practice abortion and infanticide. So, in many cases abortions would not be contrary to their “ethics and values”. Abortion is not intrinsically linked to European influence. In fact, it was practiced in ancient Kemet as well. And the reason many of us know more about abortions in the U.S. is because of media publicity but believe me when I tell you that abortion or forced miscarriages are currently practiced in many parts of Africa. The percentage of these abortions is just not publicized as much as U.S. Black abortions. These abortions occur not just in clinics but in villages as well, were herbs can be taken to induce miscarriages. Not just in South Africa but in various parts of Africa.
Also, though I do not agree with excessive abortions, there is no fertility deficit either. Black women are still having more children than other races in this country. We are not going extinct by far. Furthermore, an increase in births does not always beget a positive outcome, especially when poverty is involved.
Love,
Jam
No, Jan, my statement regarding Africa was TRUE. I used the phrase “the overwhelming population” of Africa and there is no evidence to the contrary that large numbers or percentages of abortions and baby killing have been taking place. There are always rare occasions and even then they are more recent in history and mostly urban behaviors adopted from Western corruption of culture.
I encourage all those interested in these subjects to do the research and not just speculate on African cultural patterns, rather than just impress our Western ideologies on African patterns of living. I invite you to come with us at http://www.AfricaForTheAfricans.com on our annual journey to the motherland. On these trips we are always accompanied by highly knowledgeable indigenous cultural specialists. It is always surprising to some of our members to have some of their long held myths about the continent and indigenous culture shattered by the on-the-ground truths.
Lastly, I’ll bow out of the discourse on the question of “Should Black Women Stop Getting Abortions?” by saying that the facts contradict our emotions. The so-called Hispanics are displacing Blacks in the economy, labor force, schools, and neighborhoods because they are birthing babies at a rate far higher than Blacks. Even Whites have made a rebound in fertility even though their TFR is still below replacement. Your statement, “Black women are still having more children than other races in this country.” stands in stark contrast to these figures from the U.S. Census for birthsby Race and Hispanic Origin for 2006: (non-Hispanic) Whites had 2.31 million births; (non-Hispanic) Blacks had .617 million births; and Hispanics (including Mexicans, Central & South Americans, Cubans and Puerto Ricans) had 1.04 million births.
Thus, according to the facts as stated by the U.S. Census, Blacks were the third leading ethnicity in births for the year 2006. If the births were compared by 1000 women in the population they were #1 Hispanics, #2 Blacks, #3 Whites and #4 Asians.
The bottom line is that African Americans have bought into a whole spectrum of European cultural values which are now threatening to survival. Intelligent, logical thought would have us much more selective regarding which of these modern behaviors are within our best self interest. My main point is that abortion should be totally discarded as to any practical long term solution to the challenges of the Black family.
Thanks for entertaining my research, much of which appears in my book: MISSING ASSETS: Cultural, Biological and Psychological Origins of Infertility.
@ Keidi point taken brotha! Thanks for sharing the statistics on population growth.You have proven that you are right on those grounds. Hispanics are outnumbering us due to the fact that many do not use birth control and are against abortions. This will hurt us in the future when policies are made to please the majority in this democratic society.
However, I am not speculating on African cultural patterns. I am also, not putting any Western ideals on my thoughts of Africa. There a quite a few books written by continental Africans themselves, that do provide evidence for my statements. Also, I have journeyed throughout the continent of Africa during my studies. I been there before and I am not imaging these facts. My point is, that we should uphold our African cultural values. I agree with you on this. But we must also know that not all of our history is 100% positive and not all of European values are 100% negative. Abortion is an African concept. This is a fact that we should not deny. Our thoughts become dangerous when we refuse to critique ourselves and our culture. It is not always easy to admit the negatives within ourselves but it is necessary for elevation.
Thank you for sharing your information and for setting me straight on population growth. I sincerely appreciate our dialogue.We need more brothas like you!
Love,
Jam
“The bottom line is that African Americans have bought into a whole spectrum of European cultural values which are now threatening to survival.” – are you talking about people or an animal on the endangered species list? Dramatic to say the least.
“So-called Hispanics” – WTF??? What/who are the “real” Hispanics? Do they not exist, a phantom the socio-economic mindset of the country?
“are within our best self interest.” – contradiction of terms, or usage rather. Self interest means I’m concerned with my own needs and wants. There is no “our” in it. And who defines “best”?
I’m sure you’ll take it as disrespect but your comments just sound like a plug for your book.
Keidi,
Thank you for you comments here. They go well appreciated.
I understand what both Jam and Keidi are saying. However, I feel like Keidi is not willing to take a look at the facts about Africa that Jam pointed out. It is okay to admit when we are wrong brotha. Did you even take the time to look at her links? She is not just somebody living in a fantasy world. It is just like us men to disregard our sistas when it does not prove our point. Sometimes Afrocentricism gets the best of us because we can not or will not see perspectives that do not always show us in a positive light. Her statement on African abortions is valid. These are not rare cases, this has been a part of different African societies for a long time. Its a simple as googling it. For god’s sake, Egyptians wrote about it and those documents are still with us today. This is not to attack our culture, this is just being realistic about it. Just hear her out and take truth for truth. But lets get back to the topic at hand. Should sistas stop getting abortions? No, not until us men make a real effort to be by there side and raise children with them. And for everyone saying that adoption is a available, how many of you have adopted a child? ….. do I hear crickets?!
Peace
Trey
I did read those references and am quite familiar with Achebe’s classic. From the LA Times article she referenced on Zimbabwe, the facts still support everything that I state in that abortion in African societies is very much an aberration and is largely detested within society, as that particular article confirms. Did YOU read the article she cited?
In that article (which predictably itself was heavily biased towards liberalizing African abortion), Zimbabwe gynecologists “estimate” annual illegal abortions at 40,000 from a population of 11.6 million. Compared to an African American numerical equivalent this would amount to about 129,000 for a population of nearly 38 million. But the figure for African American abortions is much higher proportionately compared to Zimbabwe; 570,000 annually. This is even more dramatic when one deduces that part of the reason that Zimbabwe’s rate of illegal abortions is so high because of the Western imposed economic collapse resulting in the highest inflation rate in the world (975%) an an annual GDP per capita of less than $100.
If Zimbabwe’s economy weren’t stressed would they have an abortion rate comparable to her peers?
So don’t think that all of us think in the manner that you do that, just because it comes from the mouth or mind of a Black Woman, we need forgo doing our fact checks before spouting off. Please, Black Man, don’t take your intellectual prowess so lightly just because you have male genitalia and they might be out of fashion within certain circles.
What happened to family planning beyond the extremes of abstinence or abortion? Birth control in any form can be used for good as well as harm. It can be used as a form of benign eugenics but it can also give a woman greater control over the size and continuity of her family. Another alternative is to choose not to have kids at all. This seems to be an unrecognized and disregarded idea that I think needs to be brought to the table. Everyone isn’t meant to be a parent (man or woman) and not everyone wants to be a parent. But there is so much focus on having kids and continuing the black culture that women and men that don’t want kids or are even thinking about not having kids (at all) are marginalized and isolated. Does it make you less of a woman, a black women, if you don’t have kids? Maybe that person doesn’t want to adopt either. Should they be treated as a pariah, a social oddity, a “traitor” to the race? What happened to the concept of sovereignty over your own body? Why does a woman’s sexuality and her body have to be so politicized and be regulated by the general public anyways?
Why is there less of a taboo if a woman gives birth several times and gives them all up for adoption than if she has an abortion? The foster care system is notorious for abuses of all kinds on all levels by a multitude of people which is far too often detrimental and destructive to the child’s overall wellbeing. And more often than not, the kids that may/may not have been aborted could/will be put into foster care system if their parents can’t/won’t take care of them. And they won’t be raised by another black family, they will be raised by the state. Doesn’t seem like that does a lot of good for the black community other than to produce more kids that will end up under the care of the government in some form. And the longer your are institutionalized the harder it is to get away from it, as a child or an as adult.
And where are the brothas? Unfortunately, far too often they are making babies with several other women. It may be a stereotype but it has become common enough that there is a term for it – project twins. Having 4 or 5 kids by 3 or 4 different women is just as appalling and irresponsible as using abortion or adoption as a form of birth control. If black men want to be seen, treated and respected as men that are responsible providers they need to take on the role and responsibility that they are just as responsible to help create and raise the next generation as black women are. By putting all of the responsibility (and blame) on black women, it negates the role black men have in the household and in society. If black women should stop having abortions perhaps black men should by more careful about who they get pregnant and when they do it.
I’m 48 and I’ve been pregnant twice but I have no children for two reasons: immorality and morality.
My first pregnancy occurred when I was 17 and not married. I had an abortion because it was convenient–I had no spiritual beliefs at the time. My second pregnancy occurred 13 years later when I was married. It was planned and conception happened after the nuptials were said, but I miscarried–it was an ectopic pregnancy and it happened because, before I married, I continued to fornicate and contracted chlamydia, a venereal disease which is easily cured but which scars the fallopian tubes and can prevent the fertilized egg from traveling to the uterus where it needs to implant and grow. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube–a place too small for a growing human. If an ectopic pregnancy is allowed to advance past 1 month, it will kill the mother and, obviously, the baby.
I still mourn both of my children. Afterward, however, I decided to do things God’s way–the God of the Bible–even if it meant that I would never have children. (My ex asked me for a divorce right after I miscarried and I have never remarried.) There are always miracles.
My point is that if I had conducted my relationship and reproductive lives differently, I’d have children. However, I am content to carry on my life as is and to accept God’s grace.
Faith, forethought and behavior are the keys. Some of you may not agree with my premises, but, perhaps a young lady or two reading this will take my words as a cautionary tale.
What if you actually PLANNED the pregnancy, with your husband?! They way you are supposed….that would take care of all the damned if you do and damned if you dont issues. There is a reason for tradition ….that reason is an orderly life. Otherwise, we’re left to write about stuff like this….of which all is preventable.
I’m sure the millions of black women that want to be married to black men would love to. Unfortunately, the numbers aren’t in their favor.
It is too late, once the child is conceived, to be consistent with your preference for choice and abort. What about the unborn’s girl’s right to choose what happens to her body? Pregnancy is that most unique and wondrous exception to ordinary life where your body no longer is completely yours, it is sharing space with another’s, and an innocent one at that. The unborn girl wants to live and breath in the sun, laugh out loud and jump into the creek feeling all that delicious coolness rush over her skin. You cannot in the name of choice take away her choice to live her life and love her loves.
My answer.
I had my son out of wedlock at 17. It’s not that hard to just raise your child, but I had major support from my family and my church. I wouldn’t put the weight of the existence of the entire population of blacks on my own shoulders. Are singles who don’t want children a detriment to the black race? I think not.
I believe you are right when you say it is unfair that your ancestors were forced to give birth as slaves and this should not be forgotten. But on the same token, by continually bringing this point up and using it for excuses today it is only reinforcing the learned helplessness that many African Americans feel today. I know the learned helplessness won’t go away in a day but at the same time we should not support this notion. I believe we may be able to remove much of the racial disparity that we see in the united states if we are able to rid African-American’s of the helpless mentality while still remembering their heritage.
I’ve seen these billboards in College Station, Texas and I thought it was the most uncalled for billboard. Even looked pretty racist to me. I drove passed it and was just in shock at how wrong it came off.
First, I do not believe in abortions, but notice I said, “I don’t.”
I have met women who have had abortions and some many. I must tell you these women live with haunting consciences. Every child that walks by is a reminder. They got rid of the child but not the memory. This is a serious decision that kills the child but also the mother who lives. What we think is right today can be a bad decision that never lets go.
:;. I am very thankful to this topic because it really gives up to date information -:-