Most conversation on pregnancy rights revolves around the abortion debate. The debate is if woman have the right to end a pregnancy due to any number of reasons. Not many people are arguing that a pregnant woman should be stripped of their rights altogether. However, in Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich, that’s exactly what happened. From being watched by computers in their own home, to being kidnapped and imprisoned, the mother’s actions were completely controlled. This form of apocalypse was brought on by the signs of reverse evolution. Because of this, labor was killing both mothers and babies. The government felt that it was their authoritarian place to step in and control the birth process. This led to many dying, and survivors were separated from the baby.
Future Home of the Living God was an extreme case of the removal of rights, but women still face discrimination when receiving medical help. As told by The Washington Post, women were told their symptoms were “in their head” or “part of being a woman.” They even faced longer waiting times for pain medication. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/is-bias-keeping-female-minority-patients-from-getting-proper-care-for-their-pain/2019/07/26/9d1b3a78-a810-11e9-9214-246e594de5d5_story.html In other issues, it is harder for women to be sterilized than men, and abortion rights are decreasing in many states. https://theconversation.com/sexist-barriers-block-womens-choice-to-be-sterilized-99754 This is all discrimination and revolves around the reproductive health of women. Fortunately, many organizations and laws are working towards equality, but there is still progress to be made.
Overall, the treatment of women, especially reproductive health, needs to be improved upon. Starting with safe, accessible abortion rights. Also, equal treatment for equal symptoms and equal access to procedures. Reproductive health is the future of humans, and it should be taken seriously. The government control of women’s body is not at the level of Future Home of the Living God, but Erdrich predicts a potential future of harm if we continue to be looked down upon.
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