Dear marilyn and Elaine thank you for your sharing of background information on this - very enlightenig dENISE ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marilyn Kleidon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2003 8:48 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] twilight delivery to feminism
> 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. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
