Hi Elaine: I too would describe myself as a feminist and have lived, breathed, and struggled with it. I think the feminism of the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's was definetly part of the childbirth education, breastfeeding, and women's health collective movement in the USA, amazingly side by side often with more traditional women's movements: La Leche League mothers often included both radical right to lifers AND radical abortion rights advocates. Feminists do come in many stripes.
Since twilight sleep originated around 1910 in Europe, UK, and USA; the feminism that fought for its use in the USA belonged to the suffragette movement (women in the USA didn't get the right to vote until 1920) and yes it was a double edged sword. Twilight sleep as well as ether and chlorophorm in labour and birth were responsible (as well as doctors groups and hospitals themselves) for bringing birth into the hospital as the side effects for mother and child could be serious. The death of at least one prominent US activist (whose name escapes me) during twilight sleep either in the US or abroad did lead to feminists at the time being less enamored with the medication cocktail, however it was too late and it became the modus operandi of obstetric hospitals for several decades. I think the cry against feminism at the moment that I hear is that we promised them everything and they can't fit it all in. I think that is a error generated by media hype. I think we have promised women choice, and choice by its nature means forgoing something, probably many things depending on what we choose. I think we have forgotten to remind them that as short a time ago as 1970 only married women could legally get a prescrition for birth control pills (at least in QLD) and abortion was illegal, in 1967 there were only certain occupations where a woman could continue to work after marriage. In the USA in some states in the 1960's nurses kept their marriages a secret to keep their jobs. In the USA, the National Oganisation for Women (NOW) came out in support of midwifery and choices in childbirth in 2000, but it was a difficult debate and many years in discussion. I'll try to find the document and post it if I can. marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elaine Norling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 2:34 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] twilight delivery to feminism > Well here is another debate..Feminism and interventions in childbirth...... > > As I experienced and lived feminism I saw a divide a] there were many in > the childbirth movement pushing for births of our choice with information > and support the important components. > Out of this focus came childbirth classes support groups and some memorable > political activity..in those groups "natural childbirth' was the benchmark > as was long term breastfeeding and this was in a society that was mostly > bottle feeding etc Women were rarely in the full time paid workforce > This was also a time when many other women were starting to stay in the > workforce after childbirth..the 'luxuries' of classes support groups etc > being lost in the scramble to accommodate everything. Some high profile > women chose to tell their stories and I'm sure many described themselves as > feminists but too often they were tales of c/sections so life could be > planned or inductions..... > and the advantages of long day childcare. > > Feminism is about Equity, Justice and Fairness.. sadly the equity was often > the only aspect on the agenda...gains were so hard, that we often believed > just getting one aspect of an equation was enough with the prospect of > getting the rest later...Problem... women were too efficient and the next > thing you know they were doing twice as much as ever and no > business/company saw maternity leave; breastfeeding time out; flexible > hours; etc as part of the essential agenda.... > > Being a feminist is not necesssarily a protection against brainwashing lets > face it many young women today don't want to be labled 'feminist' I think > they have only seen a small aspect of what feminism is and could do for > women and have judged it...the same with childbirth. > > I am really only touching the surface of these issues... > > Elaine Odgers Norling > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
