He's Chill, She's on the Pill.

I just started Reading Jessica Valenti's new book, "He's A Stud, She's A Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know." I'm a fan of Valenti and the blog, Feministing, where she is co-founder and blogger.

I can't say that I am far into the book, easy to read as it is - because I just got it an hour ago. However, simply opening up to chapter 2 - I'm ready to blog my praises!

Chapter 2 is titled "He's Chill, She's on the Pill," and talks about the double standard that women face in preventing pregnancy and ensuring sexual health. Valenti describes the different measures she has taken to protect herself and then says,

"It's our responsibility to have safe sex: birth control pills, diaphragms,
spermicides - shit, we even has to convince men to wear condoms! I say it's
crap."

How true! Have you ever felt this way? Does it even dawn on women that they are bearing the brunt, if not all, of this responsibility? Valenti, as a forward thinking feminist, provides solutions to these double standards. For chapter 2, this is what she proposes,

"...make sure our partner is taking on as much responsibility as you are.
Use condoms. Split the costs of all your birth control - after all, he's
benefiting from it, too! At the end of the day, the birth control double
standard exists for one reason - sexism. The idea behind the reality of fewer BC
options for men is that sex and reproduction are all about women. We can't let
them be."

What do you think?

Pregnant Women and Drug Use

Anita Fream, guest blogging at Prochoice Oklahoma, write a great piece expressing her concern over the treatment of pregnant women. In light of the recent South Carolina Supreme Court ruling regarding Regina McKnight and her unfair trial, this is a timely piece that links to the local case of Teresa Hernandez. Ms. Fream writes:

"Some find it difficult to see a drug user with any sympathy. Fine. I think we can all agree that taking drugs while you’re pregnant—and I do include tobacco and alcohol when I say this—is a bad idea.

But let’s get a couple of things straight. First, the claim that cocaine or methamphetamine use causes stillbirth—let alone a particular stillbirth—is unsupported by medical research. The South Carolina Supreme Court acknowledged exactly that in its decision last week."

For more information on the Regina McKnight trail or the Teresa Hernandez case, visit the National Association of Pregnant Women's website.

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