I leave for BlogHer tomorrow at 6 am. My writing class takes place tonight from 7 - 10 pm, and I have a million little things to do before that. So of course today would be the day that my little backpack rips.I use my beloved little backpack like other women use purses. It carries my wallet, keys, subway card, business cards, birth control pills, two kinds of lip balm that I never use, gum, scrap paper, two pens, a pencil, a mirror, subway map, Excederin, Advil, a fold out map of Manhattan, and lately, a copy of my book (just in case - you never know who you'll run into who might want to order it for their chain store, right?). My little bag has been with me for several years now, so I suppose it is only fair that it decided it was ready to retire. Still, it's hard to adjust to a new bag while running off to a networking conference on the other side of the country, assuming I even find a replacement this afternoon. Sob. Oh, little bag, I shall miss you.
Also, a minor last minute change involves make up. It seems that I need to bring some. Fortunately, I can just toss it in my carry on suitcase, which is mostly empty anyway. Regardless, the need for cosmetics makes me nervous.
Average Jane and I had a nice exchange this morning about how excited we are for the conference this year. Then I went to the BlogHer site and read a post about abortion that actually asked, "Why is a woman with so little self-respect as to have sex without commitment to be admired?" By the time I finished reading, I was shaking with anger. I am pretty fucking committed, what with having only one sexual partner in my whole life, and being with him for over 13 years, 8 of those of which we've been married. What the fuck does that have to do with abortion? What I believe it means is that sex for purposes other than procreation is wrong. Go one step further, the only reason to marry is to procreate. It was so judgmental and vile that I am trembling with anger again as I write this. Now I fear (slightly) that I will spend a good portion of my time trying to avoid this woman, which sucks. No one should go to a networking conference with the advanced knowledge that other participants think they are the moral equivalent of toxic waste, which is clearly what this woman thinks of me and anyone like me. Sigh.
I've lurked for a while, but this is the first time I've commented (I think)...
ReplyDeleteI've always been decidedly pro-choice, but I gained an extra helping of it this past spring when, while pregnant with a very wanted baby, a screening test came back with a very elevated probability that my baby had Down's Syndrome. While waiting for the amnio results, I had a lot of time to think about my options and be thankful for the fact that abortion is safe and legal here (Canada). Simply put? I did not want to be the mother of a kid with Down's. To think that someone who has nothing to do with my life whatsoever could take the option of abortion away from me makes me... as mad as you got. (The amnio came back fine and said baby is normal, healthy, and sleeping on my chest right now.)
Thanks for your comment Lisa, although now I fear that you opened yourself up for ridicule by the "fetus disability rights" crowd or whatever that group of abortion protesters calls themselves. I know someone else who terminated a very wanted pregnancy because the fetus had intestines that were developing outside its body. Another friend of mine is currently on bed rest (thus unexpectedly unable to work) and fortunately, her family is supplementing her husband's income because $400 a month from disability sure doesn't support a family. Like you, it just blows my mind how other people refuse to acknowledge that life is nuanced, complicated, and requires different responses based on different circumstances. I think their tiny heads would blow up if they realized there is more than one way to live a moral life.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that your situation worked out. It must have been awful to go through.
I seem to be noticing an increased presence of right wingers at blogher these days.
ReplyDeleteThe conspiracy bug within me wonders if they are not "spoilers" enlisted by those that would like to see woman's rights set back a hundred years or so for no other reason than to ruin a good thing for the rest of us.
With a thousand people in any group, there are always going to be some you don't want to know. If you happen to run into one (some), just move on as quickly as you can.
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