Category: women’s health

California Plans to be Abortion Sanctuary

With Roe v Wade up in the air again, California has announced that they plan on being a state of sanctuary for women and their reproductive rights and women’s healthcare if it is overturned. More than two dozen states are considering banning abortion as a whole if the United States Supreme Court gives them permission. I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m posting about abortions in a gender and sexuality-based violence forum. This is a pure form of violence against women. Not only is it violent to take away a woman’s reproductive choice and rights, but there is a direct link between domestic violence, sexual violence, and having restrictive abortion laws. Men being able to control a woman’s form of birth control is sickening. Who are a bunch of old, white men to tell women what is deemed an emergency situation fit for an abortion? Banning abortion will not stop women from having abortions. It will cease safe abortion. Women’s lives are on the line, and I can’t for the life of me understand why this continues to be a conversation when physicians have said life does not begin at conception. Plus, what a woman chooses to do with her body literally has nothing to do with the millions of strangers that for some reason are against abortion. There’s a woman out there right now having an abortion as I type this, and I couldn’t care less, because that has nothing to do with me. If Roe V Wade is overturned, we will see women do drastic and dangerous things to terminate pregnancies. So my question is, are lawmakers really willing to see the death of thousands of women over the “death” of fetuses…?

California deciding to be a safe haven is a beautiful thing, but it poses a threat to the people that work there, and the women that are going to these clinics are going to be at a disadvantage because there will be targeted violence against them. The overall outcome of banning abortion is not a good one, but we will see where things go in the upcoming months. I feel like this conversation comes up in the courts at least twice a year and they never actually ban it. This seems like a way for men to flaunt the power they have over women…

Blog Post on “Prosecutors recommend probation for Breonna Taylor’s ex-boyfriend”

This article is about how prosecutors are recommending 8 years of probation for Jamarcus Glover, the ex-boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, upon him pleading guilty. Also, Glover’s items that were confiscated by police must remain in police care and he can move out of state as covered in the plea deal. Glover and his partner, Adrian Orlandes Walker, were in a drug-dealing ring in Lousiville. Glover used to be the on-again-off-again boyfriend of Breonna Taylor but their relationship ended before Glover’s drug crime. Glover was the reason why Breonna Taylor’s home was raided by Lousiville police because police assumed he would be there or drugs would be there. Louisville Police didn’t announce that they were the police when they used a battering ram to enter Taylor’s apartment. Taylor and then-boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, (no connection with the other Walker mentioned in this blog post) were woken up by it and Walker fired his gun at police thinking that it was an intruder. Walker shot a police officer in the leg which caused the police to fire back which then resulted in Breonna Taylor’s death. In the article, it states that Breonna’s family thinks that the level of force the Louisville police was unnecessary seeing as Glover was a “low-level offender”.

I choose this article for my blog post because today in class we went over the Gabby Pepito case and its impact on the media. We also went over “white girl syndrome” and the manhunt for the “missing bride”. We also went over the “Say Her Name” campaign. Breonna Taylor’s story is documented in the “Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor 20/20” series on ABC News. Breonna Taylor has brought about discussions on the issue of protecting black women as highlighted by celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion. Breonna Taylor has also been at the forefront of the issue of police brutality against people of color. The article, states that no officers out of the six were arrested in this case but in January two officers were fired. Breonna Taylor’s family was able to ban “No-knock warrants” in Louisville and requires Louisville police to wear body cameras.

 

Breonna Taylor (26 yr old EMT)          Jamacrus Glover

Breonna Taylor, 26, Was A Hard Worker Who Loved Her Family      Jamarcus Glover, from Breonna Taylor case, booked in jail

 

Sources:

(article referenced in this blog post):  https://www.npr.org/2021/10/19/1047417361/breonna-taylor-ex-boyfriend-jamarcus-glover-plea-deal

more articles on this topic:

https://www.nytimes.com/article/breonna-taylor-police.html

(“Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor 20/20” series on ABC News) video on the topic:

A Sociogenic Epidemic

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Tourette’s Syndrome is a neurological tic disorder characterized by unwanted involuntary motor movements and/or repetitive speech patterns. The rise of Tik Tok over the pandemic saw numerous subgroups of individuals and advocates group together to form various niche communities on the social networking app. One such disability advocacy community being the Tourette’s Community, fighting stigma and connecting with other ‘Tic Tokers’ on the app. Many advocates raise awareness for their neurological condition by being vulnerable and sharing stories of a day in their life with tics, educating others on the disorder, humanizing those with the condition, and creating a support system for those impacted by the disorder. One such Tik Tok Tourette’s Star being Evie Meg, who has a book coming out about her syndrome called My Nonidentical Twin on October 28th.


However, some worry that the rise of Tourette’s Tik Tok has contributed to the increased diagnoses of teen girls with Tourette’s syndrome. There has been a recent increase in patients reporting to doctors with tics over the pandemic, particularly in teen girls, many of whom suffered from other mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression, and found themselves on the mental health community of tik tok, eventually being exposed to the Tourette’s TikTok community as well. Most Tourette’s patients first present symptoms of a tic disorder between the ages of 5 and 10, but these teen girls have no previous history of tics, and are showing symptoms consistent with the videos and particular tics they see on TikTok, such as shouting “beans” at inappropriate times without any specific stimuli or context. These behavioral changes are indicative of a sociogenic illness, which is “spread” through social media. This does not mean that these teen girls are faking the illness in any way, however there is a distinction between Tourette’s Syndrome and this sort of functional Tourette’s-like mass sociogenic illness. This functional neurological disorder appearing among teen girls should not be taken as less serious then classic Tourette’s syndrome, but is a distinct disorder in its own right.

Dr. Caroline Olvera, a neurologist and movement disorders fellow at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, is continuing to study the rise of this sociogenic disorder among teen girls and states that “Historically, and currently, I believe that women’s medical complaints are sometimes minimized compared to men. For example, the term ‘mass sociogenic/psychogenic illness’ was previously called ‘mass hysteria,’ referring to the uterus, and thus the underlying assumption may be that this is a phenomenon only affecting women who have gone ‘crazy’ or ‘hysterical.’” Dr. Olvera emphasizes the importance of taking this condition seriously, and relates it to how medical conditions more prevalent in women have historically been downplayed or demonized.
This gender disparity in how we view and treat various medical and neurological conditions in society prevents young women from being able to be taken seriously and get the help that they need. Sociogenic illnesses need to be taken seriously and further studied no matter the demographic.

The Shadow Pandemic of Addiction

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We’ve heard the term “shadow pandemic” apply to many co-occurring ongoing adverse events during the COVID-19 pandemic since lockdown began in winter/spring of 2020. This term has been applied to rising rates of domestic violence, depression, suicide (especially in young teen girls), anxiety, insomnia, and other mental health issues, and the silent killer of addiction.

During a collective trauma for people predisposed to mental health or substance abuse issues, the anxiety, isolation, and sleepless nights caused by the worry of the outside world pushed many people towards substance abuse, and finding help proved extremely difficult for many, as rehabilitation centers became more expensive, more exclusive, required more sanitation and social distancing needs, and more in-demand as more people needed them.

For one pregnant North Carolina woman, the new regulations regarding social distancing at these in-patient facilities made it especially difficult for her to confront and seek treatment for her heroin addiction.

During the pandemic, alcohol consumption rose sharply as well, especially among women. A study conducted by the RAND Corporation and supported by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism showed that heavy drinking rose by 41% during the COVID-19 pandemic in women.

Besides alcohol and other prescription medications, the use and misuse of many over the counter medications such as decongestants and sleep-aids increased during the pandemic as well.

A cheap OTC first generation antihistamine known as diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in many allergy medications such as Benadryl and sleep-aids such as Unisom, was at the center of a dangerous trend on Tik Tok known as “The Benadryl Challenge” in fall of 2020. In this challenge, users were encouraged to take extreme amounts of the substance to induce hallucinogenic effects, as when taken in high doses, it can have extreme cognitive impacts such as causing psychosis, blackouts, hallucinations, etc.. Research by the FDA showed that experimentation and abuse of these sort of cheap OTC medications increased drastically during the pandemic, especially in younger teens and adults.

 

These Tik Tok challenges did not warn users of the extreme adverse physical and mental impacts that could occur, nor did the bottles these are sold in, as they are marketed as “non-habit forming”, and can be sold as cheap sleep-aids in bottles of up to 365 pills.
The truth is, any substance has the potential to be addictive, and the bottles and ways in which diphenhydramine is marketed and sold as harmless sleep-aids are misleading and disingenuous on that account.

 

For women and all individuals readjusting to life post-pandemic (even if we’re not quite there yet), it is important that we deal with the shadow pandemic of addiction and support each other through the collective trauma we all have experienced to different degrees during the pandemic.

 

A Win for Women in Mexico


With all of the fearful, worrisome, and negative news surrounding women’s rights, such as the many proposed laws regarding abortion access that have been popping up across the South this past year, such as The Texas Heartbeat Act, SB8, which prohibits abortions in the state from being performed once a heartbeat can be detected, which can often be much before an individual may know that they are even pregnant (this is one of the most extreme abortion laws passed as of late, and has been challenged by Attorney General Merrick Garland), there are some bright spots for reproductive rights on the worldstage, one such win for women coming from two recent landmark rulings by Mexico’s Supreme Court.


On September 7th, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously by ten votes that it was unconstitutional to place a total and absolute ban on abortion, thus invalidating Article 196 of the Penal Code of Coahuila, which established a prison sentence for whoever voluntarily performs an abortion on a woman with her consent.


This step towards decriminalization provides hope for progress on future issues of reproductive rights.

On September 9th, The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) invalidated Article 4 Bis A, Section I, of the Political Constitution of the State of Sinaloa, that established the protection of the right to life “from the moment an individual is conceived, he enters under the protection of the corresponding Law, until his death.” The reasoning behind the Plenary’s decision was that federal entities did not have the authority to define what the origin of human life is, the concept of a “person” is, and the ownership of human rights. This authority belongs exclusively to the General Constitution, instead.

Furthermore, the Court considered that any measure to grant the status of personhood to a fetus or embryo based on this restricts the rights of reproductive and bodily autonomy of women and other pregnant individuals, and is thus unconstitutional on that account.


These two rulings mark a significant turning point in Mexico’s court system of moving towards putting women’s autonomy at the center of abortion laws and regulations.

More Info here

A 39¢ Bottle of Acid for a Lifetime of Scars: The Reality for Victims

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By Neha Kelkar

Laxmi Agarwal wins Woman of Courage Award

The 2020 Bollywood film, Chhapaak, is based on the life of Laxmi Agarwal. When Laxmi was just 15 years old, she was flung into the streets, pinned down, and attacked with acid in a crowded area. Three days prior, she had rejected an older man’s advances. Instantly, her ears melted and both arms were charred black. At the end of ten weeks, she underwent seven surgeries and required at least four more. For eight years, Laxmi stayed inside, while her attacker was out on bail after a month. Every job application she submitted was rejected and she was shunned by society.

Acid attacks are a premeditated form of violence in which an individual throws acid on another individual, resulting in severe injuries and disfiguration. Those who are attacked find themselves navigating through a new life that leaves them isolated and ostracized. Worldwide, the majority of these attacks are directed against women who are perceived to violate honor codes and prescribed standards of female behavior. They are often perpetrated by family members or close relations. Approximately 1,500 acid attacks are recorded worldwide annually. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia and Uganda are countries with the highest reported rates.

Acid attacks generally are designed to maim and humiliate the victim not kill her. There are numerous physical, psychological and socioeconomic effects of acid attacks. Instantly, pain and shock sets in. The eyelids may be burned off, hearing loss is a possibility, and many are diagnosed with respiratory failure from inhaling the acid vapors. During the recovery process, the trauma can lead to depression, paranoia, and fear. Victims are then faced with social isolation and ostracization. Their self-esteem, self-confidence, and professional and personal futures are damaged. The medical expenses add up and place a burden on the families, and victims find it impossible to make a living, or even get married.

Statistics show that 80% of all acid attack victims in the Indian subcontinent are women. In developing nations, acid attacks against women are frequently identified as crimes of passion, such as refusal of a marriage proposal or extramarital affairs. Male attackers use acid to exhibit their perpetual control over a woman’s fate, to humiliate her, or to keep her in a perpetual state of fear.

Such attacks are further perpetuated by the lack of clear regulation of acid sales. There is an absence of law regulating the sale of acid, resulting in the purchase of acid accessible and available to anyone. Dr. Nehaluddin Ahmad proposes that the government should hand out acid licenses so that only those who have the clearance and licensing can receive access to purchasing acid.

For many, acid attacks go unreported for fear of reprisal. For cases that are reported, a small number of those proceed to trials with verdicts. Currently, there is no specific legislation on the subject. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) does not specifically outline charges for acid attacks. The charges are highly generalized, and a perpetrator can be charged under one of four sections. One of those sections is Section 320, which only states “grievous hurt.” Section 320 does not account for the injuries deliberately inflicted by acid attacks. But acid attacks are deliberate. Acid attacks require the perpetrator to purchase acid, knowing it will be used to destroy the primary constituent of a woman’s identity.

The IPC is 158 years old, so it is time for it to be revised by incorporating new sections. These new sections should be unbiased and specific to acid attacks. It should lay out the regulation of purchasing acid by individuals or corporations that have clearance and licensing. All perpetrators should be taken to court, where rulings should be harsher. Perpetrators should be charged with fines and pay off the medical bills of their victims.

The media handle these cases with insensitivity and immaturity. They often discuss what the victim did to endure this amount of trauma. However, with the release of Chhapaak, more and more people are learning the realities of this act. Soon, Laxmi began a campaign against acid attacks. Along with the Chhanv Foundation, she began assisting other victims with treatment and rehabilitation. In 2006, Laxmi successfully filed a petition and the Supreme Court of India passed legislation to regulate the sale of acid, compensate victims, provide victims with treatment and rehabilitation, and access to jobs.

Hopefully, making changes to the IPC to make it more specific to acid attacks and recognizing victims, we can see a decline and eventual end to acid attacks.

 

Neha Kelkar is a junior at East Carolina University. She is set to graduate in May 2021 with a degree in Molecular/Cell Biology and a minor in Gender Studies. After graduating, she plans to pursue her studies in Evolutionary Biology. In her spare time, she enjoys reading.

 

 

A Walk to Beautiful: Addressing Obstetric Fistula

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The Nova documentary, A Walk to Beautiful, follows three Ethiopian women on their journey to find a cure for injuries they sustained during childbirth that have left them incontinent and shunned by their husbands and the communities in which they live. Why is obstetric fistula known as the silent epidemic and why does it disproportionately effect women in the developing world? Why do some of the women in this film say that death would be preferable to living with fistula? If you were tasked with doing something to help prevent this problem in countries like Ethiopia, what would you do–where would you begin and why?

Population and forcible birthcontrol

In 2013 it was reported that Israel’s African female refugee population was given no option but to take the depo shot as a form of birth control. The idea was to forcibly keep the population in control. The article in from 2018 brings up the murmurings that from the U.S. recent involvement with Israel the refugee’s may be forced to leave the country.

This article brought up a long argument that I have had with my doctor and my friends have had with theirs, how in control are we as women over reproduction? Either through lack of education, lack of resources, or my favorite argument “you’ll change your mind and want kids later.” These women had their control taken from them and it is unclear if they even understood all the ramifications of taking that particular form of birth control.

My question is do you believe they should have given the refugees an educated choice to take the birth control(which is every 12weeks and can take up to a year to fully exit the system) or brought up safe sex practices to let women have the choice to have a family when they want?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliseknutsen/2013/01/28/israel-foribly-injected-african-immigrant-women-with-birth-control/#4b5f6ca967b8

https://www.currentaffairs.org/2018/01/israels-treatment-of-african-refugees-should-be-an-international-scandal

Lack of Access to Feminine Hygiene Products: A Global Issue for Women

                       Rosalinda Kowalczewski       

            Imagine that time of month coming around, but you do not have any hygiene products to use. Females across the world are shunned and stigmatized about a monthly visit that they cannot control. Imagine young girls budding into puberty who are afraid to go school due to embarrassment. The 250 million girls lacking access to safe menstrual products and the hygienic tools necessary to manage their periods are at risk of losing their futures. Not being able to afford these items should not hinder their ability to study or make a living. Most of us living in Western cultures can go out and easily buy needed products, but in other parts of the world, these products are simply not available or are priced to high to be affordable to any but the rich. This leads many girls to rely on dirty rags or old newspapers which is not sanitary.

In many countries around the world, sanitary items are seen as “luxury items” and not as necessities. For example, girls cannot easily obtain feminine products in the African country of Uganda. Paul Montgomery, a professor at Oxford University, decided to bring reusable pads and feminine education to Uganda to see which would cause a bigger impact in the area. The reusable pads were called AFRIpads. According to Crofts, these were made from polycotton blend fabric and impermeable materials, and because their manufacture does not rely on electricity, workshops could be located in rural settings. An Afripads menstrual kit is designed to last for a year. Montgomery took more than 1,100 girls from ages 10 to 13 in rural Uganda from eight different schools and divided them into groups. Over the next two years the attendance rate of these girls was followed. School attendance improved for the girls who had received pads or education or both while a drop in attendance was recorded for those who received neither. Montgomery concluded that that having access to feminine products does cause a positive change in girls’ lives. Accessible hygien products can be the difference between getting an education and being homebound.

A lack of access to menstrual products is also an issue for some women in the US, particularly the homelss and those in prison. Some shelters do not provide products due to cost or lack of donations. These homeless women, who lack resources, risk infection and health problems. Another American demographic of women with limited access is prisoners. Fettig, for example, reports that for too many incarcerated women, a basic human function has been turned into a monthly violation of basic human rights. In many prisons women are coded for being out of dress and this includes stains. Without products they bleed onto their clothes. When they get punished for these marks they may lose privileges to buy at the commissary, which is where they buy feminine products. This is unfair to many. These different situations are some of the ones menstruating women in America face. They lack the means to get the products they need and suffer from it.

It may seem like this problem is too complicated to solve, but there are some simple steps anyone can take to help. For example, L Menstrual Products,, founded by Talia Frenkel, a photojournalist who worked for the Red Cross and UN, donates a pack of pads to developing nations for every pack purchased by a customer. Their program has grown and spread into stores across the country; they have also included condoms. The organization Freedom4Girls (https://freedom4girls.wordpress.com) provides products and education for girls in Kenya. Alternatively, PATH-Sanitary Pads (http://www.path.org/projects/sanitary-pads.php) is working to develop new, lower cost hygiene products made from local materials.

There are also feminine product outreaches in America that help the homeless. Fulfilling Destiny (https://www.fulfillingdestiny.org) is an outreach in San Diego, California, that takes donations and volunteers to help the homeless in America. Another way to help girls in school in America is through Helping Women Period (https://www.helpingwomenperiod.org ). They are an organization who also takes donations to help girls in Michigan by providing pads at school.

While you may not be able to solve this problem, you can make a difference in a girl’s life by donating to these groups. Think about the difference it would make if each month you purchased a pack of pads so that another girls in some far off country could get one too.

Rosalinda Kowalczewski has an associates in Arts and attends East Carolina University achieving a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology with interest in Psychology. She hopes to explore the rest of the world in the future and the cultures it holds.