The Perkins Letters

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No Bans on my Body

Well I have had an interesting day. It started with me in a hotel room in an NC city and ending with me in a hotel room in a SC city. Living one day at a time means I have no idea where my HP may lead me. I was supposed to have tomorrow off- I actually had several plans including virtual work with my teaching job, but there was a need for me to fill in with clinic down in SC. Did you know, my dear readers that SC is about to ban abortion? Yes, we are living in 2021 and even though Roe vs Wade made abortion legal in 1973 in our United States, there are folks trying to chip away at this legal medical procedure that a woman chooses for her own self and body. If that is not some patriarchal malarky, I don’t know what is. Can you imagine if men could get pregnant and then have themselves burdened with not only the lifelong physical changes that motherhood entails (including stress incontinence, abdominal hernias and vaginal tearing) but also the social changes of being responsible for a human life for 18 years (because women are still saddled with the majority of child rearing in the US)? I truly believe the abortion debate would look very different. 

I get on my soapbox to say that if SC bans abortions next week, as it looks like they may, many women in that state will not be able to have access to a medical procedure that could change their entire lives. Suffice to say, how could I not say yes to working on my day off? I’m grateful to be in the position as a childless- by- choice woman with a supportive partner, to be able to travel for work.


Enjoy and remember to keep fighting the patriarchy and systemic racism! We cannot rest on our laurels.