The World Beyond BetterMost > Women Today
Tale of a 19th-century abortion provider
delalluvia:
Thanks for posting.
Just goes to show how the deeply needed Mrs. Lohman's services were and how scarce they were if she was able to become so fabulously wealthy providing them.
In those days women used to write their wills before giving birth because death was so common. Yet the prevailing culture was that a good women serviced their husband's sexual needs even if it killed them, or if they grew too afraid, cut him off leaving her to a lifetime of celibacy and he to either be celibate with her or visit prostitutes - who also were in fear of unwanted pregnancies that could kill them. Basically those women lived in a world of "take the cock and take the consequences". Any attempt to avoid the "consequences" - for women to try to be like men in that they could enjoy sexual relations without fear of death - was instantly deemed as irreligious, immoral and/or illegal. Only men were supposed to enjoy sex without fear.
Tragic that in many parts of the world - including a country supposedly as western and advanced as the U.S. - that that attitude still remains.
Jeff Wrangler:
Fascinating bit of history, even to a guy! Thanks, Katherine.
And doesn't it just show that the wealthy have always been able to "take care" of an inconvenient pregnancy? :-\ I think that's come up in discussions of Lureen.
Penthesilea:
Wikipedia has an informative article about the history of abortion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_abortion
Mikaela:
Denying women free and easy access to contraception and/or abortion is and has always been repression of women, pure and simple and heinous. Patriarchal society, taking the control of their bodies away from the women themselves. It represents misogyny and nothing else. That is and will remain my personal opinion.
Articles such as this one does nothing to change my view.
Calling the repression of women pro-life is and has always been disingenuous IMO. I wonder how many children born because Ann Lohmann couldn't provide her services any more did actually receive support,compassion and help to improve their lives from Mr. Comstock and his ilk? I bet all those male pillars of morality ever contributed was shaming the unwed mothers (and making ample use of their services if they were forced into prostitution to support themselves and their child), and making sure those children felt the stigma of being illegitimate all their lives.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on June 06, 2009, 02:46:27 pm ---Articles such as this one does nothing to change my view.
--- End quote ---
OK, but wait -- am I misunderstanding something? The article isn't in conflict with your view, is it?
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