I'M NOT ONE FOR SMALL TALK
I’m going to be straight with you. You are here by choice and I am so grateful for your participation and support! Thank you.
I am also here to honor you by being honest and telling you the truth. I came to write a post about nature and its mind-blowing ways, but I am too distraught to do so. I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you it is because the Supreme Court is trying to get rid of legal abortion access and women’s, trans men’s and non-binary people’s right to bodily autonomy. I’m not going to go over all the nuances of why this is NOT “pro-life” and why it IS anti-woman and how the rights of LGBTQIA, POC, and other HUMAN CITIZENS OF THIS WORLD are on the same chopping block should this go down. But I do have to say this:
Straight, cis men, you are egregiously, glaringly, shockingly absent from this fight for human rights. As a person who loves and cherishes you, I cannot be a “yes man” or do your work for you. It damages you not to engage. You are NEEDED, valued and loved. SHOW UP FOR US! The single cruelest fact is; If men demanded abortion rights we would have them. TODAY. Full stop. Please educate yourself as to what is at stake. Please help educate other men. Please grow your compassion to include us for real, not just superficially. Show us you love and value us in return. You are not a species apart from, or above us. You are not strangers to me and I think about and act FOR your well being daily. This is not an exaggeration and it is not a chore, it is what is in my heart. I am deeply hurt and saddened by the inaction of my own bosom friends who know damn well what’s going on and do nothing. YOU benefit from abortion directly 100%. We do not get pregnant alone. This is so very real. Open your compassion so you can be human WITH us and your heart can be full.
Obviously, there are straight, cis men out there helping (thank you) and if you are one of them you know what I’m talking about and you know that I am not referring to you. Sadly, the “not all men” bullshit is a common knee-jerk reaction so I have disabled the comments. A moment of indignant sting is NOT more important than a human being’s right to have dominion over their own body and I am not sorry. Not today. Or ever.
I know there are many of you who have no idea where to start and that’s OK! Just START! Start joyfully! Positivity and celebration are crucial in this fight so BRING YOUR BEST SELF! We NEED you and welcome you. Start researching or expanding on what you already know. Ask questions even if they are hard or you think they may make you seem ignorant. Remember, most women don’t know everything about our bodies either! It has never been a priority to scientific medical research organizations to put the work in on behalf of female, intersex and trans bodies. We have to ask many of the same “dumb” questions you do! (A GREAT book for educating yourself on this subject: Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn.) Tell other men! You can do it. For a start, here is an incredible organization in Texas called Frontera Fund that helps people in need get to a place where they can get a SAFE legal abortion. They are wonderful people and have a lot of helpful, ACCURATE information. They are a great place to DONATE! And a great place to start learning about this MASSIVE, omnipresent human rights issue.
Thank you. I love you, and I believe in you. N
My sweetheart donates to Planned Parenthood of his own volition. Thank you, ManFriendJeff, XO