Most conservative attacks on abortion have nothing to do with “the culture of life.” The only real cultural aspect of their attack on abortion in general and Planned Parenthood in particular is a zeal for a male dominated society. Exhibit A is that with final victory over abortion in sight, conservatives are turning their animus against contraception. The ultimate goal of many religious conservatives is to put women back “where they belong.” Historically, conservatism has been focused on reducing government interference in people’s lives and increasing freedom. But when it comes to women, a significant number of modern conservatives want a return to “the rule of thumb” when men were undisputed rulers over women. Keeping women pregnant, poor, and dependent on men are the true goals of these right wing culture warriors.
I predicted in 2015 that abortion rights in this country would soon disappear. Except for the wealthy and powerful, of course. They always maintain personal access to that which they would deny to the general populace. During Prohibition, the ancestors of the prolife financial backers always had full liquor cabinets, as an example. Unfortunately, I was right. Abortions are getting harder to find than Trump’s library card. And all of the marches and protest signs will change nothing. At least not in the near future. What feminists need to do is rebrand and repurpose. Instead of prochoice they need to become prowomen or some other positive female motto. Instead of looking for legislative or judicial protection, they need to trust science, innovation, and the power of the internet.
Women who truly want to retain control over their reproductive organs, should follow the success of the resistance to the drug war. Using science, pot heads developed ways to grow marijuana inside using hydroponics and other horticultural innovations. They made pot stronger and made its prohibition so impractical that almost half of the states now embrace its use. College chemistry whizzes first figured out how to turn cold medicine into crank. Using scientific innovations, manufacturing of speed has become so sophisticated that one can go into Walmart and make meth in a soda bottle while shopping and eating food samples.
Arianna Huffington, Oprah, and other wealthy supporters of women’s rights need to stop wasting their money on political campaigns and fund the research needed to do an end-run around the turdweasles in charge of the state and federal governments. Establishing ten million dollar prizes for DIY abortion and birth control will go farther to help women than decades worth of elections. There are hundreds of thousands of hungry but incredibly smart college students around the world who can create abortion and birth control methods that governments cannot prevent.
When I first suggested such competitions, readers pointed out that abortion pills are available from Mexico. And while that’s true, it’s not really a DIY abortion. What I envision is something that most women can put together themselves. Perhaps it will be chemical, using easily purchased ingredients. Perhaps it will be physical. For example, all auto stores sell what is essentially an endoscope. And it is inexpensive enough to possibly be used for a DIY D&C. Or perhaps a team of student engineers will design a 3D printer program that creates nanobots capable of destroying the embryonic sac and thus inducing a miscarriage.
I don’t know what solutions students will come up with. But I do know that X prizes have spurred incredible advances in the aerospace field and in the solar car industry. There is no reason to think female biology would be different. Women need to take control of their own reproductive health issues. Religious groups, men, and reactionary women are tightening their stranglehold in these areas, and their antiquated beliefs about female submission will not soon change. Science and technology offer the only solution for women to be able to control their own bodies and therefore their own destinies. Once these DIY methods have been developed, the internet will ensure that every woman will have access to the information and all the laws in the world will be powerless to stop them from using birth control or having abortions.
In better times, women will have easy affordable access to high quality reproductive care. To those who might think that I am ignoring the obvious solution of using the existing healthcare system, I am not. I think it is the height of injustice that men can easily get ED pills or have a vasectomy all paid for by insurance. Meanwhile, in more and more states, women actually need permission from a man to get an abortion. I predict that it won’t be long before they will need a man’s permission to get birth control as well. I am not advocating DIY reproductive care as the best option for women. I am saying that it is the most realistic option. Besides, there is no better way to encourage young women to enter STEM research than a fat check and a place in history for ending female bondage forever.
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