In many ways, I feel we live in a male-centric culture, that is, a culture that is primarily set up in response to the needs of males. Though, in some ways, our culture has grown in accommodating and honoring the needs of women, in other ways, I feel the culture has digressed. Obviously, I'm glad that it is against the law for a woman to be fired because she is pregnant (though sadly, pregnancy-related discrimination claims seem to be on the rise); I'm glad women can vote and own property. I'm glad that on the books, it is illegal to discriminate against people on account of their sex.
Some changes in the culture are perhaps a good start, but I feel more growth is needed. For example, recent decades have found more women going to college and having greater access to higher education. Though in many ways this is good, it seems women are accomplishing these things in a system that is still set up to accommodate males and which, at times, is directly harmful to the health of women.
Higher education for women often means a delay in marriage and childbirth. Though such delays can be beneficial, they also come with risks. Biologically speaking, it is healthier for women to have children earlier in their lives. Each year a woman postpones pregnancy after the age of 20, her risk of breast cancer increases a few percentages1. In fact, it used to be that only women without children ever got breast cancer. Now I'm not advocating that if you are 20 years old to go out and get pregnant right now! That obviously is not the best solution for many 20 year-olds. On the other hand, however, our culture's attitude that marrying young and having children prior to the completion of education is the height of irresponsibility might not be the healthiest either.
Unfortunately, even if a woman has found a marriage-worthy partner, she will likely still be forced to choose between accomplishing her educational goals or starting a family. Most financial aid requires that the recipient be a full-time student in order to be eligible. So although a young couple might like to attend college part-time, which would be more conducive to family life, doing so might mean that they have to fund their educations without financial aid, or with their financial aid severely limited, which for many would mean not getting a college education at all. So then the choice remains between attending school full-time in the midst of building a family, which has its own challenges, or postponing a family until after education completion. Many women choose the latter, though, biologically, this might not be the healthiest choice for them, or even if they would prefer to begin a family sooner.
Unfortunately, even if a woman has found a marriage-worthy partner, she will likely still be forced to choose between accomplishing her educational goals or starting a family. Most financial aid requires that the recipient be a full-time student in order to be eligible. So although a young couple might like to attend college part-time, which would be more conducive to family life, doing so might mean that they have to fund their educations without financial aid, or with their financial aid severely limited, which for many would mean not getting a college education at all. So then the choice remains between attending school full-time in the midst of building a family, which has its own challenges, or postponing a family until after education completion. Many women choose the latter, though, biologically, this might not be the healthiest choice for them, or even if they would prefer to begin a family sooner.
Delaying childbirth has other ramifications for women as well. Many women do so with the use of contraceptives which can directly harm their health and future fertility. In 2005, the World Health Organization classified oral contraceptives as group one carcinogens.2 Hormonal contraceptives increase risk of breast, cervical, and liver cancer, (though it decreases the risk of the rarer endometrial and ovarian cancers). This risk is greatest for women who use contraceptives prior to their first full-term pregnancy. For women who have used the pill for at least four years prior to their first full-term pregnancy, their breast cancer risk increases by at least 44%.3 This is on top of the other, more well known side effects such as risk of stroke, blood clots, weight-gain, reduced libido, etc. Still, the risks for women do not end here. A woman's cervix ages two-years for every one-year of pill use.4 We presently live in a culture in which it is not uncommon for women to begin pill use in their teens and to continue until around the age of 30 when they are ready for a child. Although, the woman may be 30, if she has been on the pill for a decade, her cervix is more similar to that of a 40-year-old. Having harmed her fertility for so many years, many women find that getting pregnant is not as easy as they thought it would be. The multi-billion dollar contraceptive industry is a contributor to the multi-billion dollar infertility industry.
On the other hand, after a woman gives birth the cervix regenerates itself.4 So the more recently a woman has had a child, the younger her cervix is. Also, after a woman has a full-term pregnancy, about 85% of her breast tissue has become cancer-resistant.1 Pregnancy and childbirth is generally very healthy for women, despite the discomfort that often accompanies them.
What to make of all of this information? Once again, I will state that I am not advocating that women give birth as soon as possible no matter what. I am saying though, for women who wish to begin their family when they are young, society should not be set up in such a way to discourage that. We need to create a culture that allows women to meet their educational and career goals while not having to compromise their health to do so. For example, those who wish to attend school part-time should qualify for the same financial-aid as those who attend full-time. Student health plans should routinely provide maternity coverage. (Few do.) Also, schools should have reduced childcare available for its students.
Other ways in which the culture should honor the needs of women is to pay us more. Even today, women are still working for equal pay for equal work. Also, many women who wish to breastfeed do not have workplace support, or adequate support to continue if they face difficulty. Many routine obstetrical practices are not in the best interests of the mother and infant, (such as the high pitocin and cesarean rate).
I feel that the use of Natural Family Planning (NFP) can play a role in building such a culture. For those who are not familiar with NFP, it is a means by which women learn to recognize the bodily signals that indicate that she is approaching the fertile part of her cycle. A woman is capable of becoming pregnant about 100 hours per cycle. This fertile time is accompanied by a secretion that alerts her to her fertility. By learning to recognize this natural sign of fertility, a couple is able to either avoid or achieve pregnancy naturally without side effects for the woman (or the man).
Many who use NFP will enthusiastically assert that it is not just another form of birth control. Many feel it is a way of communication with one's partner or even a whole lifestyle. In support of this position, I would like to give my own experiences as an example.
By practicing NFP I am aware of each phase of my cycle and I try to honor my needs in each phase. For example, when women menstruate, they often do not have much energy and they do not feel very sociable. I try to honor this in myself by limiting social engagements and demands at this time. My husband, honoring my need for more rest and reflection, takes on some of my household duties. When I enter my fertile phase I know I will be bursting with energy and creativity. If I am able, I try to plan to write and work on creative projects during this phase. My husband and I often try to go on a date and nurture our friendship during my fertile time. The few days before a woman's period begins, could be called the sensitive phase. Women are most sensitive and blunt during this time. As Jeannie Hanneman, the founder of Elizabeth Ministry International, puts it, "You can learn secrets to a woman's soul that are hidden at other times. A woman will know her truth during this time and she will speak it!" My husband, knowing I'm extra sensitive or feeling more vulnerable, is typically extra gentle with his words during this phase.
To put all this a different way, what often ends up emerging in an NFP home is a more female-centric way of living. Family routines develop in response to the woman's natural cycle, similar to cultural practices that develop in response to the changing of the seasons. My husband is aware of my cycle and my needs in each phase, and we each take steps to honor those needs. Instead of expecting me to compromise my physical or emotional health for the sake of others, a sort of attitude and routine of honoring each other develops in the family, not only to my needs as a woman, but even the often changing needs of the other members of the family as well.
I should point out that a female-centric culture does not disadvantage males, just as living in a handicapped-accessible society does not disadvantage the able-bodied. In fact, being a parent who has often used a stroller, I have directly benefited from wider aisles, door-opening buttons, and ramps. Furthermore, a society that considers and honors the needs of all people is a more humane society that truly exists for the good of all, rather than the privilege of a few.
I think this subtle shift in thinking and living that NFP can produce on the level of the family is not without significance for the larger culture. For example, instead of a medical system that generally regards women's bodies and processes as defective and unimportant, a more female-honoring system could develop that actually treated the causes of menstrual disorders rather than merely covering up their symptoms through the use of birth control pills. Perhaps the needs of mothers and infants in childbirth would be honored with greater control and respect given to the laboring woman over the convenience of medical staff. Couples would not have to choose between their educational and career goals and having a child.
I could go on, but I think I'd rather hear what you think. What other ways do you think this culture needs to grow in honoring the needs of women?
Links: Women's Long Life Linked to Children--Lot's of Them
Links: Women's Long Life Linked to Children--Lot's of Them
Footnotes:
1. Angela Lanfranchi, M.D., (lecture, Women Deserve the Truth, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, 24 September 2011).
2. Department of Reproductive Health and Research, "Carcinogenicity of Combined Hormonal Contraceptives and Combined Menopausal Treatment," World Health Organization, (September 2005) http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/ageing/cocs_hrt_statement.pdf
3. Tim Drake. "Pill Cancer Link Confirmed," National Catholic Register, (Jan 25 2010) http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/pill-cancer_link_confirmed/
(Or, for original study, you may go here).
4. Family of the Americas Foundation. "Master Teacher Institute for the Ovulation Method: Related Readings, Ninth ed. (Dunkirk MD: Family of the Americas Foundation, 2005), R6.39
fantastic post and thoughts as usual April! I'll have to reflect on this a bit before I dive into your question you posed at the end.
ReplyDeleteI whole-heartedly second your proposal for affordable childcare at schools for undergraduates and graduate students. I was able to do twice the work in half the time with a scholarship to cover childcare. Other ways to change culture to respect the needs of women: Promoting REAL knowledge of a woman's cycle in middle or high school not just the tampon talk, offering doula support at hospitals and/or mandated coverage of doulas and midwives on all health plans (rather than mandating coverage of carcinogens!), accurate information about NFP methods disseminated from our doctors and the major organizations like ACOG, womenshealth.gov and other influential women's health sites (remarkable how misleading these sites can be - send their webmasters an e-mail!), providing more flexible work schedules for mothers.... Great post! Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteFascinating observations about what female-centric could look like.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of "others" being more sensitive toward the per-menstral woman, rather than the woman bucking up, but how does that work in everyday life? I mean, male and female alike we're (I was) trained not to draw attention to our needs (that's called whining, or selfishness. How does that change?
I think with the vast majority of birth control, it is the woman's body that is treated as the problem. We're the one's who can get pregnant, so it's our body our problem. Our amazing bodies are treated like they're flawed, even when healthy and functioning perfectly. NFP, on the other hand, has an entirely different set of assumptions. It begins with the premise that our bodies are good, and we shouldn't change what is functioning just as it ought to.
DeleteI think this assumption can carry over into our attitudes about everything else. For example, when I'm menstruating I allow myself more time for rest and reflection and my husband does more household chores because my energy level is down. This is just how we are made. Also, my husband knows that I'm going to be feeling very vulnerable and sensitive a couple days prior to menstruation, so he tends to be very gentle those days. I noticed with this pregnancy, he was sooo helpful, much more than with the first two. He really took care of me when I had morning sickness. Before I was left to care for myself more.
Perhaps consequently, I feel more generous and want to help him more often too. You might be interested in this post where I talk more about ways to honor ourselves in each phase of our cycle. http://www.myfemininemind.com/2009/09/comprehensive-cycle.html