SCOTUS unbelievably bad, medically ignorant, wignutty and sexist decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, has been brilliantly dissected elsewhere – Professor Wood in particular has done some great work in The Lie at the Heart of Gonzales v Carhart, and here pointing out that the Supreme Court has decided they know better than doctors.  Jill at Feministe has this post pointing out something we’re not supposed to point out about the way in which the justice’s allowed their faith to trump medicine; at HuffPo sums Terminating Women’s Rights pretty much sums up what the anti-choice activists are all about.

The women in my life – friends and family – may find themselves with unintended pregnancies or, and this is the case with the procedure misnamed partial birth abortion, with pregnancies that have gone tragically wrong, pregnancies which threaten their lives or in which the fetus is deformed and will not survive.  Like most of the “pro-life” movement’s activities, this particular effort won’t actually save a single life, prevent a single unintended pregnancy, or provide a good home for any children.  The abject failure of the “pro-life” movement to actually improve a single life is a sick, cosmic joke, the cold empty laughter of the universe at the pointlessness of these ideologues to actually match their values with action.

It is one of the truths of American life – often stated by women and avoided by men – that were men able to become pregnant, access to abortion would be guaranteed in the Constitution, a sacred right untouchable by anyone.  But because women get pregnant, abortion is endlessly debated, the right to actual reproductive medical treatment constantly under attack – almost always by men.  Who can forget the photo of George W. surrounded by men in dark suits signing a law to limit women’s reproductive rights?  Because it is women’s bodies, the debate is public.  Autonomy in the body – granted to men automatically – is debated for women.

The male body is presumed to belong to the man who possesses it.  He can walk down the street without being subjected to catcalls, without having his body commented on, measured, derided, presumed to be available for sex.  I have yet to meet a woman who has not had the experience of having someone shout at her as she walked on a sidewalk.  Women are constantly judged on their attire – and receive comments on their attire.  Women’s bodies are treated as public property – to be regulated, controlled, managed, and legislated. 

Sexual autonomy is readily granted to men.  We are permitted to have sex with whoever we want (within fairly broad boundaries).  If we violate those boundaries, there are plenty of people ready to defend us.  The Duke Lacrosse Team Rape case is a perfect example; even before the facts were out, there was a flood of articles defending the players using what amounts to the “boys will be boys” defense.  Almost any high profile rape case brings out swarms of men claiming an epidemic of false rape accusations motivated by evil feminists to destroy men.  Actual statistics show that false rape claims are amazingly rare.  Unreported rapes far outnumber false accusations.

Men’s bodies are treated as if they a sacrosanct.  If a couple have unprotected sex, and a pregnancy results, male responsibility is almost never discussed, and when it is it is discussed in two contexts – that the man should have veto power over the woman’s choice and how unfair it is for the man to be burdened caring for a child he doesn’t want if the woman refuses to have abortion.  The idea that a man should have to give up control of his body against his will for 9 months is inconceivable.  Our bodies are treated as our property in ways that women’s body aren’t. 

The overwhelming majority of contraceptive methods are designed for women’s use.  Responsibility for preventing conception is treated as a joke for men – something not taken terribly seriously – and when referred to, almost always done so exclusively in the province of STI prevention.

The abortion ban SCOTUS just upheld is only conceivable because it applies to women.  The notion of regulating men’s medical procedures is alien to our legal system.  The body in which you live vastly overdetermines your legal rights and societal treatment.