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Roe V. Wade Protests (Google)

The first time I learned about Roe v. Wade (1973), the Supreme Court case that led to the ban of laws that prohibited abortions, I was in a Medical Issues class. My teacher at the time had split the class into two and we had to debate on whether abortions should be legal or illegal. We had spent the week preparing our points to argue on the following Friday. When we had the debate the class had fully become engrossed into the issue. We were no longer in a classroom setting our mentalities had changed as if our fellow classmates were with us or against us. There was no middle ground even though we were just debating. This incident in my academic career taught me two things. The first, was when my fellow classmates and I were debating there was a lack of understanding form both sides. No one wanted to hear what the other side had to say. There was a constant push that “we were right” from both sides. The fact of the matter is after a certain extent we weren't debating about abortions but rather arguing about who was right. This showed me that people sometimes get too caught up in their ego and own mentality and are unable see what the other side has to say. We also should note when debating or arguing turns into a matter of “Who is right?” it is too easy for the individual to forget the grandiosity of the situation, there is more to the situation than your opinions. The second thing I learned was through my teacher, who was the only authority figure in the situation.His place in authority put him in the position to validate one's side opinion, fortunately he chose not to pick a winner because he could see the effects it could have on either side.

However mainstream media, elected officials, and individuals in authority positions in work and school settings continuously police the female body dismissing their value in their own eyes and the eyes of society. Roxane Gay explains the situation much more clearly when she states and quotes the following, “In her article, “Legislating the Female Body: Reproductive Technology and the Reconstructed Woman,” Isabel Karpin argues that, “in the process of regulating the female body, the law legislates its shape, lineaments, and its boundaries.” (Gay 3) If we look at this statement closely we can see that Isabel Karpin is saying much more than laws regulate and constrain the female body to a certain ideologies. Rather the hidden message that is being addressed is the recognition of the lawmaker, who will create policies that will benefit himself first and then benefit women through his understanding of them. The persepectives of these white hetrosexual policy makers, have lead to policies like the tampon tax, school dress codes that are incredibly bias and lack of access to health care providers. All these policies restrict the female body by not giving women the option or the opportunity to do what they want or need to do. If we all have equal rights why are women treated so differently because of what makes them women?

These policies and laws will then shape the rhetoric and messages that will be sent through mainstream media to young girls and women effectively changing their understanding of themselves. Kilbourne states, “This is the real tragedy, that many women internalize these stereotypes and learn their “limitations,” thus establishing a self-fulfilling prophecy. If one accepts these mythical and degrading images, to some extent one actualizes them.” (Kilbourne 125) This statement allows us to see how the stereotypes, tropes and ideals set for women limit their understanding of themselves and pushes them to be something they are not, the white hetrosexual male whish phantasy. In Where The Girls Are?, Douglas states the following, “This has been one of the mass media’s most important legacies for female consciousness: the erosion of anything resembling a unified self. (Douglas 13)  Douglas highlights the effects that these types of policies and messages from mainstream media and people in power. When one is constantly being told how to act, how to look, and even to extent of what careers they should have, they do not have an identity that is their own. The one projecting those ideologies has the power and is able to set standards that keep women in their place. This is why there is such an aggressive policing of the female body even from such a young age so women will not overthrow the man in his position. However, when a woman does something outside of what she is socially allowed there is such controversy and uproar. In ‘Hobby Lobby,’ and a Woman’s Right to Sexual Exploration Steele addresses the controversy regarding Rihanna's dress choice, which leads to the questioning of the woman's sexuality. She states the following, “Women have the right to explore our sexuality. The idea that a woman’s sexuality is purely for childbearing is outdated. Sure, for those who choose to live this idea, it belongs in the bedroom. But imposing that idea on others is just wrong. Sexuality can be complex and erupts for various reasons.” (Steele Pg 4) Steele's ability to question the societal standard and to be to be able to publish her opinion on controversy shows us that the same media that is used to oppress women can be used to empower them.

Stock Image (Google)

This principle can be applied to any form of media. An example of one form of media that I found very inspiring was this spoken word piece performed at a Poetry Slam by an LA team titled "Somewhere in America". I encourage everyone to watch and think critically of what is being said. It is only when we recognize the root of our problems and create discourse will we be able to challenge the authority that claims to grant us freedom even though it so openly restricts us to our bodies.

Citations

Douglas, Susan J. Where the Girls are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media Book .

Gay, Roxane . “The Alienable Rights of Women.” The Rumpus.Net, 23 Apr. 2017, therumpus.net/2012/03/the-alienable-rights-of-women/.

Kilbourne, Jean. Beauty and the Beast of Advertising. 1999.

Steele, Tanya. “'Hobby Lobby,' and a Woman's Right to Sexual Exploration.” Rewire,
rewire.news/article/2014/07/10/hobby-lobby-womans-right-sexual-exploration/.