“Feminazi”? – I had never heard the term until recently, when I was called it for the first time, it was in response to what I believe to be a valid and non-extreme viewpoint on workplace sexism. My view was and still is that workplace sexism shouldn’t be a thing; which seems like a feminist opinion not a “feminazi” one…
So the term “Feminazi” goes quite far back, it was coined by Tom Hazlett and popularized by the radio-talk-show host Rush Limbaugh who mentioned it in his book “The Way Things Ought to Be”, crediting Hazlett. According to Hazlett, it is used to “describe women who are obsessed with perpetuating a modern-day holocaust: abortion” in order to further the belief that men are not necessary because “Abortion is the ultimate symbol of women’s emancipation from the power and influence of men”. Abortion is a sensitive topic and as a woman, a feminist one at that, it is impossible for me to be unbiased on this subject.
Medically speaking, an abortion is the 99process of ending a pregnancy so it doesn’t result in the birth of a baby. It’s also sometimes known as a termination. The pregnancy is ended either by taking medication or having a minor surgical procedure. I believe a woman should have control over her body and the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) states that it is the right of all individuals to make decisions concerning their sexual activity and reproduction free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. These rights are specifically meant to ensure that individuals are able to choose whether, when, and with whom to engage in sexual activity; to choose whether and when to have children; and to access the information and means to do so.
I find it very hard to believe that women would purposefully end the life of their unborn child just to prove a point to men. Aside from the human rights violation that preventing abortions would be, abortions are more than the facts: the women who go through them have to be considered. While there is no link between mental health issues after a woman has had an abortion, before it takes place it is common to feel anxiety, self-doubt, isolation and low self-worth as well as fear about the procedure and potential judgement from others. Some of these feelings will undoubtedly continue after the procedure itself however, there are multiple physical health risks a woman must consider as well. 10% of women undergoing induced abortions suffer from immediate complications, of which one-fifth (20%) were considered major. (perhaps mention a possible that a long term complication is possible infertility?)That is why Hazlett and Limbaugh, when they define “Feminazis” they do so from an ignorant perspective which does not take into account the legality of their statement. Nor does it consider how the women they direct their anger to feel at any stage of the abortion process. Perpetuating a “modern day holocaust” by killing the life only you can make as a woman seems so impossibly sadistic that even if on all the other levels their points weren’t redundant, this is the last straw in them having a viable argument.
That is why Hazlett and Limbaugh, when they define “Feminazis” they do so from an ignorant perspective which does not take into account the legality of their statement. Nor does it consider how the women they direct their anger to feel at any stage of the abortion process. Perpetuating a “modern day holocaust” by killing the life only you can make as a woman seems so impossibly sadistic that even if on all the other levels their points weren’t redundant, this is the last straw in them having a viable argument.
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