Abortion Debate Rages with New Evidence on Fetal Development

Abortion -- probably the most controversial topics in modern America. Right to life versus right to choose, God versus Woman. What's right? Who's wrong? Will we ever know? Will we ever decide? Probably not, but I must say, there is some new evidence that gives women's rights groups an extra leg to stand on.

Data from two scientific studies on fetal development and pain perception was published today by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) of the UK, and it suggests that a fetus cannot feel pain within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The reports entitled Fetal Awareness and Termination for Fetal Abnormality state that the chemical environment that surrounds the fetus induces sleep and it is in a state of unconsciousness. Therefore, like general anesthesia in an operating room, the fetus cannot feel a thing.

Don't think I'm spouting some bull. Here's the science behind the find:

The human brain is separated into multiple sections, each categorizing and analyzing data sent in and out. (See the picture!) One of these is the somatosensory cortex, which interprets body position, temperature, and pain, as well as other "feelings". The data comes from the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), which are the various neurons throughout your body. This includes "touch" receptors in your fingers, temperature indicators on your skin, and internal and external pain receptors all over. And these neurons send signals directly to the somatosensory cortex.

It is the pain receptors that pose problems for humans. They fire for long periods of time and at high frequencies, so when you burn your finger or get a shot, the feeling doesn't fade immediately. It's an evolutionary development that lets us know something is wrong with our body. So of course, as caring and nurturing beings, we hesitate when we believe that a medical procedure on a potential child will cause extreme pain and cell death. But this is exactly what the RCOG disproves.

So anyway, after a signal is created, the electrical message is sent through the PNS to the Central Nervous System (CNS), which is the spinal cord and brain. The signal then travels to specific parts of the brain. Pain, again, is interpreted in the somatosensory cortex. According to scientists at the RCOG, the connection between the PNS and the sensory part of your brain has not fully developed until a gestation period of 24 weeks!

Therefore, even a late-term abortion will NOT cause a fetus pain if it occurs before the 24th week!

Now that we have that straight can we please have our reproductive rights back?

To read a summary of the RCOG's findings, go here: http://www.rcog.org.uk/news/rcog-release-rcog-updates-its-guidance

Let us know what you think!

-LB

First Female Prime Minister in Australia

Julia Gillard is a woman who gets what she wants. From what I've read, she's a no-nonsense, savvy politico, who is already working on negotiating with Australian miners that were about to launch a multi-million dollar anti-tax (and therefore anti-party) campaign.

Coal is the name of the game in Australia, the worldwide number one exporter of the energy source. And because of that, the country also has some of the highest amounts of carbon emissions. Well, never fear, Gillard is here! She's reopening the climate control issue, which the former Prime Minister had pushed back to 2011. This woman is a hard hitter, and we feminists LOVE that!

She's also working on increasing national security and decreasing taxes. It's easy to see that just a few days in, Gillard is already shaping up to be an admirable woman and leader. Let's wish her luck.

Read about Prime Minister Gillard and her policies here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65N00120100624

Those crazy feminists at Universtiy...

Now, I haven't actually seen this documentary in full. I don't live in the UK, so I don't see a lot of the amazing documentaries they make on BBC. This one in particular was made by Vanessa Engle who "turns her attention to sexual politics in a three-part documentary series about feminism and its impact on women's lives today."

I find that in this short clip we see all the tension between this woman and her parents, without them even being in the same room as each other. Her parents' response seems to be typical - that their daughter's feminism is just a phase, something she picked up at university (even though she's been out of university for a while), and that this anger will subside. They seem to be more threatened by her anger than her passion for women's rights. Her father even mentions that she has a "charmed" life, and what does she have to be angry about?

Even though this woman, yes, has white privilege, seems to have a pretty wealthy/upper middle class lifestyle (kickboxing classes, a nice home in the suburbs, a job, a university education), but she does have a right to be angry. Even though she has this upbringing, she can still understand and feel injustices - this is why she is a young activist.

Her parents, it seems, may be more distraught over her general rage (inappropriate for a young lady...) than the fact that she is a "feminist". I feel like I get a similar impression from my family, or rather that I am wasting my time with being angry and passionate when I could just be complacent and accept everything as it is. I think what's really important about this video clip is this refusal for apathy.

Her mother may be terrified of the F-word, but this young activist isn't.

Where Past Meets Present

Since the 2010 - 2010 school year hasn't started, I thought it would be great to share a picture of most of our dedicated NOW members from the previous year! This picture is courtesy of our last President, the lovely Aasha Foster. Aren't we CUTE?!?!

SC Abortion Bill

Everyone knows US laws are numerous and confusing, and here's one that is no less wordy and bewildering than the others...

No feminist can ignore the fight for reproductive rights. Despite personal views on life and death or time of conception, women should not be prevented from exercising their rights to control their bodies. Honestly, if men could give birth, do you think we'd be having so much trouble?

Here in South Carolina, it's tough to get the growing number of conservatives to see it our way. And just yesterday, both houses of the SC legislature passed a new bill (HB 3245) that diminshes our right to an abortion. It is awaiting the signature of our governor.

I'm going to try to explain what the implication is due to this decree. The legal jargon is difficult to wade through, but I'll be as clear as I can. And for those of you who'd like to read the actual bill, go to this link:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/prever/3245_20100616.htm

The purpose of this bill was to amend an existing law from 1976 that required women seeking abortions to wait at least one hour. Now the statute says we must wait a minimum of 24 hours. Of course, any waiting period is a violation of our civil rights.

However, there is one way that we can avoid the waiting period. Section 2 allows women to go to an abortion clinic and get the procedure done on the spot. Here's what has to be done first though: The clinic must send the female to be treated information about the procedure a day in advance, and she must verify this in writing.

That's a pretty simple way to go around the waiting period, but there's still something wrong with us being forced to jump hoops to have our rights! When will we just be allowed to BE? So fight on, dear feminists! And don't let others make decisions on our name.

Welcome to the Feminist Action Network!

Hello, world! Welcome to the College of Charleston National Organization for Women's newest blog: the Feminist Action Network. This is a new venture for NOW, and we hope it is a success. Here you will find our thoughts, feelings, facts, and links on everything to do with feminism and our organization.

Help us keep this up! Shoot us an email or a fun fact, whatever you want! Comment like crazy and pass us on to friends. But most importantly, let's keep the feminism alive!!!! haha