
Alabama’s Republican-controlled state senate has passed a near-total ban on abortion, reigniting the debate around women’s rights once again.
The bill which was approved by the Alabama House of Representatives has received widespread criticism since it was announced with the ban being upheld even in cases of rape or incest. Many view the move as a step backwards in the apparently progressive times that we live.
Unlike previous abortion bills, which have prevented the procedure from taking place if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected, this bill will see any abortion practitioners sentenced 10 to 99 years in prison.
One Twitter thread that was originally posted in 2018 is once again going viral due to it's timeliness and almost prophetic nature.
The series of Tweets by bestselling author and art director Gabrielle Blair has some serious heft to it and perfectly illustrates how one woman has grown tired and disheartened of listening to men dictate the standards and rules for matters that concern predominantly women.
It goes without saying that the thread is perfect perfectly and the reactions to her well thought out and eloquently written take have been nothing but supportive.
@designmom This is by far the best series of tweets I have read on Twitter. It steers clear of any insecurities tha… https://t.co/yQNbgWRFjw— Ahmed Hessaan Zafar (@Ahmed Hessaan Zafar) 1537067313
Arguably the greatest thread I’ve seen on any subject. That good. Required reading. https://t.co/KWRSpXiiJP— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1537025369
Read the full thread below...
If you want to stop abortion, you need to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And men are 100% responsible for unwanted p… https://t.co/ztGZExHbsD— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946
But ALL unwanted pregnancies are caused by the irresponsible ejaculations of men. Period. Don’t believe me? Let me… https://t.co/ypIdVs096m— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946
That makes 24 days a year a women might get pregnant. But men can _cause_ pregnancy 365 days a year. In fact, if yo… https://t.co/Ie0pll50Rc— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946
And though their sperm gets crappier as they age, men can cause unwanted pregnancies from puberty till death. So ju… https://t.co/hMzyFQvEsj— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946
But what about birth control? If a woman doesn’t want to risk an unwanted pregnancy, why wouldn’t she just use birt… https://t.co/v7u0VbXQZL— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876946
Modern birth control is possibly the greatest invention of the last century, and I am very grateful for it. It’s al… https://t.co/ye8WAHAOrZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947
… because of the side effects. And the list of side effects was about 1/3 as long as the known side effects for wom… https://t.co/nWnHuE56kU— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947
There’s a lot to be unpacked just in that story, but I’ll simply point out (in case you didn’t know) that as a soci… https://t.co/bg4Ddv4a8V— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947
But good news, Men: Even with the horrible side effects, women are still very willing to use birth control. Unfortu… https://t.co/5P8F7mjFSw— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876947
In fact there are many people trying to make it more expensive by fighting to make sure insurance companies refuse… https://t.co/tL3JmI3oDN— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948
If we’re talking about the pill, it requires consistent daily use and doesn’t leave much room for mistakes, forgetf… https://t.co/t88w88SkHV— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948
I’m just saying women's birth control isn’t simple or easy. In contrast, let’s look at birth control for men, meani… https://t.co/WwTkdorQlR— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948
Men can keep them stocked up just in case, so they’re always prepared. Amazing! They are so much easier than birth… https://t.co/d2w41pciAi— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876948
… or prevent us from climaxing. And the best part? Clean up is so much easier — no waddling to the toilet as your j… https://t.co/e2G3iNUltw— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949
Oh. I remember. Men _don’t_ love condoms. In fact, men frequently pressure women to have sex without a condom. An… https://t.co/GAeEp6MYeF— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949
Why would men want to have sex without a condom? Good question. Apparently it’s because for the minutes they are pe… https://t.co/kxMU50M3ed— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949
So… there are men willing to risk getting a woman pregnant — which means literally risking her life, her health, he… https://t.co/TaQ7fYQqsG— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876949
What are we talking about here pleasure-wise? If there’s a pleasure scale, with pain beginning at zero and going do… https://t.co/la5Q5XHKZe— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950
So it’s not like sex with a condom is _not_ pleasurable, it’s just not _as_ pleasurable. An 8 instead of a 10. Let… https://t.co/YqixY1UgBy— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950
Now keep in mind, for the truly condom-averse, men also have a non-condom, always-ready birth control built right i… https://t.co/lYFSdwFmYP— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950
So surely, we can expect men who aren’t wearing a condom to at least pull out every time they have sex, right? Nope. And why not?— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876950
Well, again, apparently it’s _slightly_ more pleasurable to climax inside a vagina than, say, on their partner’s st… https://t.co/eXRq1DR6wz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876951
It’s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize that’s the choice men are making. And honestly, I’m not as mad a… https://t.co/T0amaNx8FZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536876951
While we’re here, let’s talk a bit more about pleasure and biology. Did you know that a man CAN'T get a woman pregn… https://t.co/ikMSaxstYD— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877016
In contrast, a woman can have non-stop orgasms with or without a partner and never once get herself pregnant. A wom… https://t.co/g0s19fhCwr— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877044
No matter how many orgasms she has, they won’t make her pregnant. Pregnancies can only happen when men have an orga… https://t.co/KZ9ZoV6iT2— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877057
What this means is a women can be the sluttliest slut in the entire world who loves having orgasms all day long and… https://t.co/qcNRXz6L7S— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877070
Women enjoying sex does not equal unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Men enjoying sex and having irresponsible ejacul… https://t.co/EYvr5VAaVz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877084
Let’s talk more about responsibility. Men often don’t know, and don’t ask, and don’t think to ask, if they’ve cause… https://t.co/8FQ6Tx9h34— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877098
If the woman decides to have an abortion, the man may never know he caused an unwanted pregnancy with his irresponsible ejaculation.— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877110
If the woman decides to have the baby, or put the baby up for adoption, the man may never know he caused an unwante… https://t.co/6sXRtSE7jq— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877119
If the woman does tell him that he caused an unwanted pregnancy and that she’s having the baby, the closest thing t… https://t.co/i7JKUxsqVQ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877128
61% of men (or women) who are legally required to pay it, simply don’t. With little or no repercussions. Their cred… https://t.co/sG4PMzo1Hy— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877138
When the topic of abortion comes up, men might think: Abortion is horrible; women should not have abortions. And ne… https://t.co/8zo2gRyQ0H— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877155
Stop protesting at clinics. Stop shaming women. Stop trying to overturn abortion laws. If you actually care about r… https://t.co/RNyOh4sHqL— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877166
What would that look like? What if there was a real and immediate consequence for men who cause an unwanted pregnan… https://t.co/4RoHtBMJHG— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877188
… as forcing a woman to go through a 9-month unwanted pregnancy?— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877196
In my experience, men really like their testicles. If irresponsible ejaculations were putting their balls at risk,… https://t.co/wzfK66fVod— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877386
But is it worse than forcing 500,000 women a year to puke daily for months, gain 40 pounds, and then rip their bodi… https://t.co/9kdBC0rg9S— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877386
Put a castration law on the books, implement the law, let the media tell the story, and in 3 months or less, tada!… https://t.co/Pkqtaa4djo— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877386
For those of you who consider abortion to be murder, wouldn’t you be on board with having a handful of men castrate… https://t.co/Gvyoy6hXlz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877386
And if not, is that because you actually care more about policing women’s bodies, morality, and sexuality, than you… https://t.co/N3ff2dVMcZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877386
Hey, you can even have the men who will be castrated bank their sperm before it happens — just in case they want to… https://t.co/KzYMpRrEW4— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877387
Can’t wrap your head around a physical punishment for men? Even though you seem to be more than fine with physical… https://t.co/k0rVimwsyP— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877387
Vasectomies are very safe, totally reversible, and about as invasive as an doctor's exam for a woman getting a birt… https://t.co/o6xaF0Sp63— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877643
(So much better than The Pill, which is taken by millions of women in our country, the side effects of which are we… https://t.co/AC6BySW5mZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877644
If/when the male becomes a responsible adult, and perhaps finds a mate, if they want to have a baby, the vasectomy… https://t.co/pWWXPsKy2f— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877644
It's not that wild of an idea. 80% of males in the U.S. are circumcised, most as babies. And that's not reversible.— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877644
Don’t like my ideas? That’s fine. I’m sure there are better ones. Go ahead and suggest your own ideas. My point is… https://t.co/SH1gizEExp— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877644
If you want to stop abortions, you need to prevent the “disease" - meaning, unwanted pregnancies. And the only way… https://t.co/fEtZ8FW87w— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877644
If you’re a man, what would the consequence need to be for you to never again ejaculate irresponsibly? Would it be… https://t.co/yQNsc0OJUW— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877927
Ask yourselves: What would it take for you to value the life of your sexual partner more than your own temporary pleasure or convenience?— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877927
Are you someone who learns better with analogies? Let’s try this one: Think of another great pleasure in life, let’… https://t.co/4XuF4x1qza— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877927
What if you found out that every time you indulge in that favorite food you risked causing great physical and menta… https://t.co/BCo2JaBTeS— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877928
Well, you’d probably be sad, but never indulge in that food again, right? Not worth the risk!— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877928
And then, what if you further found out, there was a simple thing you could do before you ate that favorite food, a… https://t.co/kGQUKWN3wE— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877928
BUT the simple thing you need to do makes the experience of eating the food slightly less pleasurable. To be clear,… https://t.co/RtrRTjteYS— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877928
Would you be willing to do that simple thing, and eliminate the risk of causing pain to someone you know intimately… https://t.co/yiuue65O4p— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877928
Condoms (or even pulling out) is that simple thing. Don’t put women at risk. Don’t choose to maximize your own plea… https://t.co/hyK0zX2H8D— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877929
Men mostly run our government. Men mostly make the laws. And men could eliminate abortions in 3 months or less with… https://t.co/R597yxiLfz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536877929
In summary: STOP TRYING TO CONTROL WOMEN'S BODIES AND SEXUALITY. UNWANTED PREGNANCIES ARE CAUSED BY MEN. The end.— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair) 1536878031
Bravo.
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