Go visit Africa today and see poor women whose bodies are ravaged by repeated pregnancies, miscarriages and births. If they are lucky to get care by a qualified nurse or doctor, the caregiver will likely try to convince some of them to tie their tubes, over the objections of their husbands. Many countries in Africa are lifting themselves out of poverty by empowering women, which includes control over their own reproduction (i.e. condoms, pills, abortion, gynecological care).

Birth control is a modern invention, but an absolutely necessary one, given the fact that women cannot otherwise control their own reproductive cycles. Abortion, while sometimes controversial, is a legitimate part of this, and has a long history. It is even mentioned in the bible with taking bitter herbs causing miscarriage.

No one knows why human beings evolved to became fertile. All higher species, including primates, have relatively few births. A human female is capable of having 20 births, or more, from the point of puberty to menopause. Was the ancient environment for early humans so hostile that most infants did not survive and frequent ovulation was necessary? Did a small group of early humanoids experience a random mutation which increased their birth rate, and therefore their dna became dominant on the planet? We don’t know. All we know for sure is that today, the our human survival does not require hyper-reproduction. In fact, it requires the opposite.

In the 80s I quit my job as a therapist and went on the road with my camera and my dog, Fuzzy Tippy. Together we put 300,000 thousand miles on two Silverado trucks. I was the first “wo-man” to “infiltrate” the world of rodeo cowboys on the Indian reservations and I was also the first “white” woman to work there.

I am going full circle now and will move back to the family ranch in Oklahoma soon. I still have my camera with me but Tip died in 2001 so I won’t have the wonderful companionship that I enjoyed with him for 15 years. When I get there I intend to do two things. One is to find the first clinic that serves women and volunteer. The next thing is promote candidates for the Senate and House ,of Oklahoma, who will, hopefully, work for women in the state house. Oklahoma is going in reverse for women now and if I can affect that just a teensy bit……that is what I’ll do.
Great speech, Anna Q. Thank you for doing what you do.
Pat
Lockhart, TX.