Stop Pathologizing Menstruation. Plus, New Brunswick's Only Abortion Clinic Just Closed

This week, I've been thinking a lot about women’s reproductive rights—or lack thereof, in some Canadian jurisdictions. In my home province, for example, it will soon be alarmingly difficult to access caregivers who will provide abortions. Yet doctors are also overly concerned with the state of women's bodies, pathologizing our anatomical functions in such a way that revolves around our fertility and little else.

Aside from all that, a Toronto city councilor outed himself as a stark raving mad Men’s Rights Activist [MRA] this past week, by implying that the city has a hiring policy that discriminates against white men.

Screencap via.

Men’s Rights Activists on Toronto City Council?

This week, a notoriously crusty Toronto city councilor named Mike Del Grande expressed concern that the city discriminates against white men in its hiring policies. The fuck? Shall we break that down a bit?

This term, council is comprised of a record 33 percent women, or 15 out of 44 councilors. There are a few Asian councilors, and a single black councilor.

Del Grande made the query of staff at a recent employee and labour relations committee meeting. He read a Barbara Kay column describing the sob story of a 56-year-old white dude with lots of work experience who applied for three different jobs with the city and didn’t get a call back.

He reportedly wanted to know whether there was  “any specific policy of discrimination against white males.” Adding, “everybody should have an opportunity to apply and everybody should be treated fairly. It’s not to say white males need not apply.”

Clearly, there is an overrepresentation of white males on this city council, but because we just barely meet the UN stipulation that in order for women’s interests to be properly represented by a government, that government must be composed of 30 per cent women.

It’s ironic, in a city whose motto is “diversity our strength,” but it seems so many white people only like diversity insofar as it provides Indian, Chinese, and Ethiopian restaurants on the same street. But when it comes to relations between actual human beings, and their representation in government, it’s not so awesome, apparently.

Despite this imbalance in Toronto’s government, according to Statistics Canada, “visible minorities” will outnumber white people by 2031, which will make white people the visible minority! Hmm, perhaps the faces in our council chamber should reflect more of that?

But for now the face of municipal governance in Toronto is still primarily white and predominantly male; so you can rest easy, Del Grande.

Photo via WikiMedia Commons.

On The Menstrual Cycle, and Female Hysteria

If one more human being in puke-green scrubs looks me and drones: “When was the first day of your last period?” I am going to have to physically injure said scrub-wearing person.

I’ve been in and out of medical clinics a lot over the past few months for a variety of ailments—both physical and psychological. And every single time I go into a doctor’s office, whether it’s for the paralyzing anxiety attacks I’ve been having, or a cold that seemingly would not go away, that tends to be the first question I hear.

This is frustrating because obviously I never know when the first day of my last period was. Forgive me, but I’ve got more pressing things to think about. Don’t you?

Having a period is not a mysterious thing. It’s not a surprise. It happens every month; I am prepared for it. I even take a little pill every single day of my life to ensure that I know the exact day on which it will arrive, and I carry a Diva Cup around in my purse on that day and the days surrounding it. Voila! Period tamed, now on to the actual doing of things!

Trust me, nurse. I have been actively avoiding the implantation of a fetus in my uterus for a full decade now. Could you please just STFU and write me a prescription?

I don’t spend my days tracking my ovulation cycle and eating bonbons. I just want to work and live my life, and having a period is a minor inconvenience, at worst. Usually I barely notice it. I don’t have time to keep the first day of my last period squirreled away in the back of my head like it’s some precious, crucial data.

I understand that doctors should ask women about their periods, make sure they’re normal, and determine whether the patient could be pregnant. It’s an important aspect of women’s health, and I don’t in any way blame the medical community for checking in on this issue. I just need it not to be the first thing said to me, as if my period or lack thereof is the primary indicator of the state of my health. I have literally walked into a doctor’s office and told them I’m so depressed I can’t get out of bed, to which I received a nod, a scribble, and a: “When was the first day of your last period?”

I have never felt more like the person I’m speaking to just isn’t listening, and that includes copious dialogues with both my mother, and several one-night stands. And, in a medical environment where, as we all know, lots can go wrong, that makes me very uncomfortable.

Also, instead of assuming I’m completely uninformed about my sexual health before we start talking, you could give it a minute before you decide I’m a moron.

There’s also this alarmingly persistent notion that the most beautiful, worthy thing a woman can do is give birth to a child. While this may be true for many women, and no shade to them, it simply shouldn’t be prescribed as the ultimate in female usefulness.

So, doctors and nurses, please, I beg you—wait until the first few minutes of our date has passed before asking me this question, and let me tell you what’s bothering me. I’m more than capable.

Screencap via.

No Abortion For You, New Brunswick!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how seeking an abortion is a particularly gruesome task in my home province, New Brunswick.

Now, it looks like the only truly reliable (though possibly quite expensive) place to get an abortion, and the only abortion clinic in the province, is about to close its doors in July—because it was losing money.

In New Brunswick, Medicare only covers abortion if two doctors sign off saying the procedure is “medically necessary.” Students at St. Thomas University called bullshit on that over the past few months, creating a change.org petition to have abortions funded by the government. It has nearly 3,500 signatures, but then New Brunswick Right to Life, an anti-choice organization (clearly), launched a petition for the opposite, and it has garnered over 6,000 signatures. That should illustrate the political climate we’re dealing with here.

The Morgantaler Clinic provides about 500 abortions per year, and though they might cost between $700 and $850, I would happily find a way to pay that money as opposed to being robbed of my autonomy, forced into carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term. Unfortunately, the people of New Brunswick no longer have that option in their home province.

@sarratch