The Petition for the Rights of Childbearing
Women
-by LLM
I created this Petition
in July 1998, a few weeks after I found out my
midwife Gloria Lemay was under attack by my provincial
government, and their "midwife" agents.
She is a "lay" midwife in a province
where "midwife" translates into "obstetrical
nurse controlled by the medical system and the
government"; as such, she was considered
to be a "danger to the public". (Like
a 25% c-section rate isn't... read
this page to learn all about government-appoved
birth in British Columbia For info about the legal
midwifery choice in BC, go
here.)
Just months before in January
'98 Gloria had changed my life forever- she had
helped facilitate my beautiful, sacred homebirth,
the birth that provided so much healing after
five assaultive hospital births. I was outraged
that this majestic, outstanding woman was being
attacked- and was incensed that the College of
Midwives of BC could actually presume to have
control over my body, and my birthing rights.
I still am... and they still attack my choice
of birth attendant relentlessly. (Read briefly
about it here.)
I faxed and mailed the
Petition to whomever I thought would be receptive.
I'd also carry around a print form wherever I
would go- and get people to sign whenever I could;
the signing usually accompanied by a long discourse
from me on the dangers of medicalized childbirth.
All of the faxing, mailing and talking became
quite exhausting after a while, so my husband
Bill and I decided to put the Petition online.
We ultimately created a website around it (this
one!). And I wrote Rape
of the Twentieth Century instead of constantly
talking myself blue.
To read the first thing
I wrote about birth, even before the Petition
(which was the second thing), go
here- it is a letter to the College of Midwives
of BC, demanding they leave my choice of birth
attendant alone.
The Petition is a perfect
accompaniment to the Declaration
of Rights of Childbearing Women- which
goes into greater detail about all the points
made in the Petition.
The Petition for the
Rights of Childbearing Women
I am petitioning to demand
the rights of every pregnant, birthing and postpartum
woman.
I am a sentient, intelligent
person, in a pluralistic and democratic society,
and I firmly believe that every woman has absolute
authority over her own reproductive process.
I do not believe that pregnancy and birth are
frightening biological anomalies. I believe
that there are far too many dangerous and routine
medical procedures done in hospitalized childbirth
that harm women and babies. I believe in the
sanctity of birth, and the trustworthy functioning
of women's bodies. Women have the right to refuse
interventions and procedures they feel are detrimental
to their birth processes or babies. Babies have
the right to be born gently, without fear, trauma
or pain.
Childbirth is a private,
and not a public, affair. It is every woman's
right to give birth wherever, however, and with
whomever she chooses. Women have the right of
genuine informed consent, and access to all
recorded medical information.
The rights of women are
inalienable, and will not be interfered with
by any government nor medical governing body.
Sorry the on-line petiton is no longer available to sign
|
