Quickie Soapbox: The Waah-Waah Brigade

There’s a disturbing pattern I’ve been seeing in some breastfeeding/birth/natural parenting spaces. Whenever attention is brought to a website, group  or article that centers the experiences of persons of color, the “Waah-Waah Brigade” comes out to play.

Soapbox Sunday: Reproductive Justice Edition

This past week I’ve had reproductive justice on my mind as it seems that the spectrum of reproduction is getting extra-negative attention lately. The latest stories range from homebirth midwives being arrested, to racist, anti-choice billboards to how a lack of maternity leave harms U.S. workers. In addition, I’ve been reading When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America by Paula Giddings as part of the Black feminist book club hosted by the blog What Tami Said. I can’t help but think about reproductive rights and justice as I read this book, particularly with passages like this. In light of that, here are some links I found interesting this week.

A New York City social worker writes about how government booby traps some low income mothers in “Breastfeeding is a Must…For Moms Who Can Afford It”.

The Crunk Feminist Collective lists the recent legislative attacks on reproductive health in “What’s Love Got To Do With It? Attacks on Reproductive Justice”.

Colorlines Magazine lists “9 Reasons to Hate Anti-Abortion Billboards That Target Black Women”.

da midwif at da black student midwife “The pregnancy trap and how your average pious citizen contributes to it”.

Shark-Fu at Angry Black Bitch reminds us that even those without uteruses use reproductive health services  in “Hold up, I still have a horse in this race…”

What did you find interesting this past week?

Soapbox Sunday: Social Justice Mish-Mash Edition

I’ve slacked on my Soapbox Sunday posts and it’s high time I got back to doing them. I couldn’t decide on a theme for today so it’s a mish-mash of sorts.

BlackGirlinMaine posted a thoughtful post in response to the recent House vote to defund Planned Parenthood. Many people only associate Planned Parenthood with abortion and birth control services but the organization does much more than that.

Denene Milner of My Brown Baby wrote a passionate response to the recent anti-breastfeeding rhetoric that has invaded the political sphere.

Also, responding to the political anti-breastfeeding rhetoric was Best For Babes, clarifying that It’s not a “Nanny State,” It’s a Booby Trap Nation!

I came across The Julie Project via a link on my Facebook wall. Photographer, Darcy Padilla, chronicled Julie’s life over 17 years. It is a story of HIV/AIDS, addiction, love, loss, motherhood, poverty…it made me think more about how we marginalize and discard people in our society. Julie’s story is intense and some may find it triggering.

Via Womanist Musings I learned about a bill that could soon become law in Afghanistan which would seriously affect women and girls seeking shelter from abusive homes. If the bill becomes law, women seeking shelter could face imprisonment, invasive “virginity tests” and/or forced return to their abusers. Please consider signing this petition in support of these women.

So, what got you up in arms recently?