Re: population vs. technology/consumption (fwd)

Whoops. Apologies for the "sir"
I concur with you on the reductionist portrayals of Third World women. I
am a strong advocate of choice. However, a friend of mine who practices
law in Los Angeles tells me tragic stories of clients (again, of all
colors) who are bullied or guilt-tripped into not accessing birth control,
are repeatedly raped by their "significant others", and are left with the
burden of being sole providers.
I spent several years in Mexico conducting pol econ research. Met a number
of women who were coerced or threatened into not accessing birth control
and, as a result, have severely limited life chances. I suspect we agree
more than we disagree.
To be frank, Andrew Austin jerks my chain. He seems to see himself as the
vanguard for just about everything, including the mind of women.
Best,
Judi

On Wed, 31 May 2000 md7148@cnsvax.albany.edu wrote:

> 
> Judi,
> 
> There might have been some misunderstanding, but my post was about a
> common sense knowledge of third world women, which I find quite
> disempowering and racist, and was essentially in agreement with Andy's
> post (although Andy put in different words)...
> 
> >From a "sister" not a "sir"...
> 
> Mine
> 
> > On Wed, 31 May 2000 md7148@cnsvax.albany.edu wrote: 
> 
> > first off, let me say that I am terribly unhappy with the white/western/
> > middle class discourses that depict third world world women as lactating
> > and over-reproducing. Evidently, third world women, just as western 
>women
> 
> Sir,
> This is my last post on the topic. Please read Austin's initial post
> and my reponse (below). I never once mentioned third world women (nor did
> Austin).
> Until you sport a womb and are made to carry and assume financial
> responsibility for children that may be unintentionlly mistreated because
> they were unwelcome or not planned for because financial resources are
> limited, put a lid on it.
> 
> For example, African American women living in
> > the southern United States should be concerned that their rate of
> surgical
> > sterilization is 3-4 times higher than it is for whites. We ought to all
> > be concerned about that. There is huge difference between population
> > control and birth control.
> >
> > Andrew Austin
> > Knoxville, TN
> 
> Mr Austin,
>         You might have a slightly different perspective if you were an
> African American woman in the south (or a woman of any color, anywhere)
> who was either pregnant or lactating for most of her life.
>         Judi Kessler
>         UC San Diego
> 
> 
>