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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
 Posted - 08/25/2011 : 20:42:59
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I really enjoyed this blog post from Dr. Isis on why homebirthing is not a feminist statement. It's just a stupid, selfish decision.
| If you can look at those data and still decide that you’re still sufficiently dedicated to your own empowerment to choose home birth, then I say “You go get ‘em, Gloria Steinem!” But, you should know that I’m going to judge you. Choosing to deliver at home because it makes you feel empowerful isn’t a feminist act. It’s a selfish one. It’s no different from the attitudes of the anti-vaccine mothers who choose delayed vaccination schedules, or no vaccines at all, because it makes them feel safe and in control of their children’s well-being. You might feel empowered, but the data tell us that you are hurting your children with your choices. I can think of no other women’s health area – Pap screening, breast cancer treatment, HPV vaccination, in which forgoing a treatment shown to improve health outcomes would be flown on a feminist banner. |
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"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2011 : 21:23:11 [Permalink]
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Marf, firstly I wanted to say that I feel very fortunate to have you as a member of the SFN. We have a paucity of female viewpoints at the moment, and I fear we might be in danger of becoming a collection of angry white men if we didn't have you to give us legitimacy. In all seriousness, skepticism needs people all of genders and backgrounds if we want it to flourish, so I wanted to thank you for your work bringing our attention to some of the serious issues facing women today. Even if I don't comment in every post you make, I always read them. (I hope that didn't come off sounding too condescending or patriarchal).
Moving on, I will admit to having a negative impression of Dr. Isis based on some of her attacks on the new atheists, but that was a good post. Dr. Amy Tuteur commented in the thread that the home birth movement has been hijacked by "biological essentialism and feminist anti-rationalism." The information she provides is quite startling: The biological essentialists are characterized by a belief that women are defined by their biology. The anti-rationalists are essentialists with a twist. In their view, empiricism and rational thought are the preserves of men, and that women have “different ways of knowing.”
The essentialists and the anti-rationalists share quite a few characteristics. Almost exclusively Western, white women of privileged classes, they believe that they speak for all women because all women have the same needs and desires. They simply assume that they represent non-Western women and women of color. They are sociologists and anthropologists. Curiously, they have little or no practical knowledge of childbirth or modern obstetrics, but don’t view that lack of knowledge to as a problem.
You can recognize them by what they say. The biological essentialists are fond of catch phrases like “trust birth” and “pregnancy is not a disease.” They insist that obstetrics has “pathologized” childbirth and they can display a shocking and callous fatalism by dismissing deaths with the dictum that “babies die, that’s just the way it is” or “some babies are not meant to live.”
The anti-rationalists are distinguished, not surprisingly, by their anti-rationalism. They dismiss science as a male form of “authoritative knowledge” on the understanding that there are “other ways of knowing” like “intuition.” Many are post modernists who believe that reality is radically subjective, that rationality is unnecessary and that “including the non-rational is sensible midwifery.” |
Holy hell! I had no idea the the movement was so virulently anti-scientific. Funny how they like to cite scientific statistics and studies to give their movement legitimacy, though. It's infuriating to learn how these ideologists toy with the lives of trusting women. I agree, this is a skeptical issue that needs wider exposure. The potential for real harm is great.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2011 : 21:48:57 [Permalink]
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Thanks, H.H.! I'm really touched by your compliments. I'm glad to provide a more woman-centered point of view to these forums, and just as glad to be appreciated for it.
Yeah, I was into natural childbirth with my first baby, but that was because I had no idea how crazy it gets at the fringes. I went through a really reputable birth center that employs all Certified Nurse Midwives (those are the competent and well trained mid-wives) and works with a hospital. But every once in a while there were signs of the crazies. And the birth class I took went into great detail about all sorts of things regarding a normal, healthy birth, but gave zero info to prepare women for complications and c-sections. From the time I arrived at the hospital after having complications with my daughter I was really in the dark, so I did just go with what was recommended because I sure as hell didn't know any better! (Not that this bothered me. It was a hospital with a great reputation and I totally trusted the people who took care of me.) It would have been nice to have some more information about common complications in birth and c-sections. Had I had more info, I wouldn't have been so terrified once I got to the hospital and I wouldn't have initially felt so devastated about getting a c-section. (It's funny, because after it was all over, I realized the c-section was the easiest part of the whole experience from my point of view!) Recently I've gotten into reading Dr. Amy Tuteur's blog posts and reading mores stuff from the natural childbirth movement, and holy crap there is a lot of really insane shit out there. Just Google "freebirth movement" or "unassisted birth stories" if you want to read the nuttiest and most frightening stuff. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2011 : 00:43:13 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by marfknox
Yeah, I was into natural childbirth with my first baby, but that was because I had no idea how crazy it gets at the fringes. I went through a really reputable birth center that employs all Certified Nurse Midwives (those are the competent and well trained mid-wives) and works with a hospital. But every once in a while there were signs of the crazies. |
What's scary is that even when a woman thinks she's doing all the right research and going with a "reputable" place, she can still find herself duped by misinformation.
| And the birth class I took went into great detail about all sorts of things regarding a normal, healthy birth, but gave zero info to prepare women for complications and c-sections. |
Which is outrageous considering the stat Dr. Isis cites that "up to 37% of home births result in emergency transport to a hospital." That's more than 1 out of every 3 women who will experience complications requiring hospital care. Failing to properly explain to women in detail the risks and emergency procedures they face during childbirth is highly unethical. An uninformed choice is not a free choice, and withholding information in order to keep expectant mothers purposely ignorant is beyond unconscionable. It seems in order to affirm their belief that childbirth is "not a disease," they have an agenda of downplaying its dangers. These are people who care more about women choosing home birth than they do about women.
| Had I had more info, I wouldn't have been so terrified once I got to the hospital and I wouldn't have initially felt so devastated about getting a c-section. |
The harm done is both mental and physical. You were smart and rushed to the hospital at the first sign of trouble, but I can easily imagine some women ignoring warning signs in an effort to experience childbirth the "natural," "normal" way. And I can't imagine the guilt a woman must feel if there's a more tragic outcome.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 08/26/2011 00:49:30 |
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Dr. Isis on Homebirthing
