Hot of the heels of restricting federal funds for contraception for clinics that also offer abortion or refer women for abortions Donald Trump delivered the keynote address at the Susan B. Anthony List’s Campaign for “Life” (a.k.a forcing women to carry fetuses to term without providing them with any assistance to have a healthy pregnancy) Gag Fest.
Trump is pushing the SBA agenda hard and it should not surprise anyone. He said he would do this before the election. The Aunt Lydias at the SBA are thrilled about it.Here are some of their wet dreams that he has made reality:
It is important for everyone to remember that the SBA also believes that all birth control causes abortion, as do many of the forced birth groups that Trump and Pence are in bed with.
Why do they believe this?
Science tells us that hormonal contraception (the pill, the patch, the ring, the shot) work by suppressing ovulation. They also affect cervical mucus and may impact how the fallopian tubes move eggs and sperm. It is theoretically possible they also prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. There is no data to support this theory, and in fact all available data says it is not the case, but it is simply impossible to disprove much in the same way it is impossible to disprove the center of the moon is green cheese. Based on robust available science means nothing when you have an a forced birth agenda!
The hormonal IUD works on cervical mucus and the copper IUD is toxic to sperm. Again, it is not possible to say with 100% certainty there is no implantation effect on a fertilized eggs. All the available science says no, but what is science in the face of beliefs?
What does this all have to do with breastfeeding?
So glad you asked. Many women use breastfeeding as birth control. How does breastfeeding work as contraception? It inhibits ovulation, however, it is not possible to say that it doesn’t impact implantation.
Yes, you read that correctly. Breastfeeding is as much an abortifacient as birth control pills, depoprovera, the IUD, the implant, and emergency contraception (major shout out to Chelsea Polis for pointing this out).
There has long been a twisted fantasy among the forced birth fetish groups about conflating abortion and birth control. It was the basis for the whole Hobby Lobby Supreme Court jerk off. The goal was never about protecting “unborn lives” and always about controlling women. If the IUD, birth control pills, and emergency contraception cause abortion then so do breastfeeding.
So people, meaning reporters, need to ask Trump, Pence, and basically everyone in the White House as well as all the forced birth groups listed above about their neglecting breastfeeding as an abortifacient, because you can’t have it both ways. As breastfeeding is a potential abortifacient can groups that receive Title X funds discuss it with women? I would especially enjoy seeing someone ask the Press Secretary about this right after she touts Trumps commitment to “life.”
If birth control causes abortion so does breastfeeding. This is going to be an important argument to keep in mind, because if the SBA have their way Trump is coming for your birth control as well.
Dr. Jen Gunter 
Once upon a time, before modern science the average lifespan of humans was 40. Resources were scarce and our ancestors spend the majority of their time gathering rather than hunting. Millions of years of evolution later, with one of the biggest heads in the animal kingdom compared to pelvic size and to maintain at least one viable child which compared to ALL other mammals required an inordinate amount of care for the first few years; evolution ensured that the child would survive by preventing tbe birth of another.
Didn’t Don want Marla to get an abortion? I thought that was a known fact?
What I find most ironic is the absolute hypocrisy of the entire thing. Are we really to believe that if Ivanka or Tiffany trump were in need of an abortion, that donald wouldn’t have them whisked away in a private jet to the best clinic that money could by.
I assume pro-life also means a ban on male masturbation. It’s logic. And fair.
“Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is great
If a sperm is wasted, God gets quite irate”
(M. Python).
Exactly Jamie and MegPie! Why can’t we extend this ridiculous logic!?? 😛
A few comments mostly address to “T…stumbling”.
First, indeed, the Christian bible was used to justify chattel slavery in the Southern US officially until 1865, unofficially until at least the repeat of Jim Crow laws in the 1960s and maybe tacitly to the current day. In current times, we also need to be aware of Mormon fundamentalists. They enforce pregnancy and child marriage, not to mention polygamy. They consider themselves to be Christian (although my understanding is that many other Christian groups, including mainstream Mormons do not).
In terms of breast feeding — I am certain that any of the above noted religious/medical groups would say that if the hormonal milieu of breast feeding allowed conception but resulted in a failure to implant (the purported mechanism of action of the IUD, etc in causing abortion), that this would be OK because it is “natural” and thus “God’s will”
In terms of banning contraception — the non Catholic pro life movement, by the definitions used above, would only support barrier contraception (condoms, diaphragms) or sterilization since all hormonal contraceptives and the non hormonal IUD are included in the “possible abortion causing” category. All of these groups support the rhythm method. Unfortunately, “as used” efficacy rates of barrier and the rhythm method are not good enough to be considered reliable and will result in high unplanned pregnancy rates. Thus I am fairly certain this policy would be a “Aunt Lydia” approved position!
And finally, from a sociologic perspective, its fascinating to see how Christian fundamentalists use the “enemy of my enemy is a friend” doctrine to support Trump. It just seems…well….so very un-Christian to me
I have already clarified that I should have said “in the past 100 years”. And you are wrong about one thing. “The Christian bible was used to justify chattel slavery in the Southern US” by the Democratic party. There is no record of any Republican ever owning a slave. As for Christian fundamentalists supporting Trump, Christian fundamentalist actually make up less than 30% of the total of those voting for Trump so they are being given far more credit by the left than they deserve. And my main point was, and continues to be, the intense concern about what imaginary Aunt Lydias might do to us if they take power (like banning all contraceptives) is far less a concern for me than the fact that the leftist portion of the feminist movement has embraced and endorsed a Sharia law supporting woman as their leader while worrying so intensely about things that have not yet happened because of their fear of Christian fundamentalism.
I am not concerned about whether it was Democrats or Republicans who were Southern slave owners (there is an interesting book called “How Democracies Die” that discusses this role reversal). I am concerned that there was biblical justification for slavery and the post reconstruction suppression of the freed slaves (the whole ‘children of Hamm” story; if you google “biblical passages that support slavery” you will see there are number that were used to justify this). Fundamentalists of all religions are dangerous in many ways; both Islamic and Christian/Mormon — all of the liberals I know are appalled by and opposed to female circumcision (as they should– I have seen the consequences in my practice and its terrible. I would like a reference to see just who on “the left” supports this)
And the fact that one Christian Evangelical voted for Trump seems odd to me — given that his life has been the antithesis of the teachings of Jesus. I guess politics makes strange bedfellows. Why does Trump get a pass for his deviance from Christian standards when Bill Clinton did not?
Read this on your own time: Lee Atwater’s Infamous 1981 Interview on the Southern Strategy
Since you were apparently asleep during history class, you should know that in the wake of Brown V. Board of Education (which you can look up on your own time), there was a radical change in party politics as Republicans deliberately courted disaffected racists in the Democratic party to get them to switch affiliations.
If you’re a PhD in *any* discipline, I’m Marie of Rumania.
I don’t normally bother responding to people who use personal insults while debating facts but if you are so well educated that you can start quoting the southern strategy then you obviously know all about the counter arguments to the top down southern strategy explanation for the GOP shift in the south. I for one am not prepared to ignore all the sins of the Democratic party against African Americans simply because the Democratic party talking point is that it was a Republican appeal to white racism drove the southern white vote against them. I find more evidence to support the suburban strategy of scholars like Johnston, Laser and Schaefer. I could also add all kinds of personal insults and aspersions on your character but I have better things to do that try to engage “silly pints” in any kind of rational conversations. Have a nice day Marie of Rumania. This conversation is over. Oh and BTW it is spelled Romania.
It is truly unfortunate that there is no way to block people on WP; otherwise I would not have to look at your racist rants any further.
You can read this on your own time, too; the original spelling was Rumania. You truly are an undereducated bint … but I already knew that; intelligent people are not racist.
https://www.quora.com/Why-was-the-spelling-changed-from-Rumania-to-Romania
PS: You didn’t cite any facts; you just spewed white supremacist crap.
You really do believe the bullshit you’re spewing here, don’t you? The Republican party wasn’t even *established* until 1860, and it came out of the Whig party. Guess what? The Whigs were pro-slavery.
You really do need to sit down and shut up.
Can’t believe I worked in family planning for years and never thought of this. Genius!
Okay, I’m confused. Susan Brownell Anthony was an American social reformer and women’s rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement. If alive today I believe everything about her would indicate she would be for CHOICE, a woman’s right to choose abortion, birth control, breast feeding in public…. How the hell did this “group” attach themselves with her name and feminist reputation? In 1866, Anthony initiated the American Equal Rights Association, which campaigned for equal rights for both women and African Americans. In 1868, she began publishing a women’s rights newspaper called The Revolution that supported divorce as a right for women… she was a instrumental in equality, in women’s rights. She also coined the phrase “equal pay for equal work.” where the hell does this group get the privilege to rewrite history by using her name associated with the anti choice movement? I may be rusty on my biology, but I know my herstory… and her name should not be used for their agenda. Finally, Ann D. Gordon, a leading academic authority on Anthony, has criticized the effort to represent Anthony as someone who would support the modern pro-life movement, saying, “The result is what historians call ‘invented memory’—history without foundation in the evidence but with modern utility.” Gordon said that Anthony “never voiced an opinion about the sanctity of fetal life … and she never voiced an opinion about using the power of the state to require that pregnancies be brought to term.
I was confused too! Then I found a bunch of information on pro-life feminists…This organization seems to be subverting information and not putting SBA’s quotes/written word in the context of her times. For example, a mistress being forced to have an abortion to protect the married man, a brothel controlled by a man who would make his “employees” have abortions…though I’m sure these things still happen in modern North America 😦 You may find this post more informative than what I’ve said here: http://www.feministsforlife.org/the-truth-about-susan-b-anthony/
Cheers from Canada!
PS Can’t resist sharing the story of another amazing woman that changed herstory! Viola Desmond from Canada, who will be the first woman on one of our bills:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/viola-desmond-takes-her-place-as-canadian-civil-rights-icon-with-new-10-bill/article38247038/
“I would remind you that all these horrors, clitorectomy, slavery, forced pregnancy, forced child marriage, Aunt Lydias enforcing morality, torture, amputation for punishment, all of it, have not once ever existed in any Christian community in the USA”
ummm … slavery, forced pregnancy, child marriage, and torture have existed in “Christian” communities in the USA. I’m especially surprised you forgot about the slavery part. Kind of a big part of our history. PhD, hunh?
Okay I admit I forgot about the Democratic run slavery movement that was ended by the Republicans with the civil war. I should have said “in the last 100 years”.
Read up on the Southern Strategy on your own time, you silly bint. I’m sick of educating people who slept through history class as well as science class.
My comment is this: It seems like the series Handmaid’s Tale and invoking “Aunt Lydia” is now the new standard for predicting where the pro-life people want to go. I see no evidence they want to ban contraception as you suggest. They want to ban specific forms of contraception that they think involve directly interfering with the implantation and growth of an embryo. Since breastfeeding feeding does not prevent the fertilization and implantation of an embryo, your extrapolation is specious at best. As for the horrors of the Handmaids Tale, I would remind you that all these horrors, clitorectomy, slavery, forced pregnancy, forced child marriage, Aunt Lydias enforcing morality, torture, amputation for punishment, all of it, have not once ever existed in any Christian community in the USA however such horrors go on all the time in the countries controlled by radical Islamists. I would suggest you reserve your anger for where it is justified and not exaggerate or misrepresent what the pro-life movement is about. If feminists put as much effort into ending oppression of women under Islamism instead of fighting an imaginary bogey Aunt Lydias something might actually be done for these oppressed women and girls. And before I get crucified for supporting the pro-life side I will state for the record that I do not consider abortion, contraception or breastfeeding to be anybody’s business but the woman involved and that government is incompetent to make decisions about same.
Um hey why don’t you read the linked article. And oh, hey, learn this thing called science. The argument for breast feeding as an abortifacient is as medically sound as the one for IUDs. If you could read and research you would see that banning contraception is indeed a goal of the SBA.
I read your link very carefully. I see no evidence that the pro-life movement wants to ban all contraceptives, with the possible exception of the Catholic church which has always had an official position against any contraceptive except the rhythm method even as their members ignore them. And BTW I have a PhD in Human Genetics, and undergraduate degree in biochemistry. I am perfectly capable of reading and I do have a solid understanding of how science works. How about some equal outrage about American girls being clitorectomized by Islamist Aunt Lydias right here in the USA?
Dr. Gunter, I used to have great respect for you. But you did the Almighty Physician thing where instead of sticking to the facts of the case you devolved to an arrogant demeaning “learn this thing called science” authoritarian personal insult. Don’t worry about me commenting again. I don’t see a reason for reading your page anymore.
If you see no evidence, you need to open your eyes a little wider.
Okay two convictions in the USA for physicians performing genital mutilation on little girls in the name of Islam as well as multiple cases of honour killings, forced marriage, and slavery in the USA in the name of Islam and yet we feminists are concerned about a hypothetical attempted ban on all forms of contraceptives by Christians and we embrace an imaginary Christian Aunt Lydia who does not exist while putting a Sharia law endorsing woman to head our womens’ march. Yet you say I am the one with my eyes wide shut?
You know what? Unless and until you have read the Hobby Lobby case, or even remotely under stand what Title X is and why it has nothing to do with funding abortion and everything to do with funding contraception for low income women? You need to sit your Islamophobic ass down and shut up.
“…all these horrors, clitorectomy, slavery, forced pregnancy, forced child marriage, Aunt Lydias enforcing morality, torture, amputation for punishment, all of it, have not once ever existed in any Christian community in the USA…”
“…slavery…has not once ever existed in any Christian community in the USA…”
So in other words, you don’t know ANY history, do you?
I realized after I wrote that that I was thinking of the last 100 years or so and I had forgotten about how the Democratic party created and upheld slavery in the USA and it was the Republican party under Lincoln that finally ended the practice. I stand corrected on that one point about Democratic enslavement of African Americans. And before you bring up Mormons, Mormons do not believe in the dignity of Jesus and his death for sins being required for salvation and therefore are not considered Christians and even then the majority mainstream Mormons condemn those activities, often far more vociferously than mainstream Christianity.
DIVINITY of Jesus. I do hate auto correct some days.
So, on top of your Islamophobia, you do not understand the Southern Strategy either. Looks like someone was seriously asleep throughout history class … and has outed themselves as someone who gets to be the first person i block on WordPress. Congratulations.
My comment here is aimed at Tumbleweedstumbling, BTW; there are inadequate reply options.