Comments on: A Walk to Beautiful http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/ The Diary of a New Midwife Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:55:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: darkdaughta http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-118066 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:49:13 +0000 http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-118066 Hey, I think that linking the two issues together would push the wimmin away from getting the medical support they need for their fisutlas. One is a physiological birth related concern. The other is a cultural, religious, familial, community concern. It's loaded. It's also infused with all sorts of power relations that haven't completely been unpacked. As you know, I have serious issue with Western wimmin, white wimmin who shy away from speaking openly about so many issues in their own backyards, who mostly prefer to turn away from uncomfortable realities over here in north amerikkkan getting all righteous about issues that don't directly touch their lives. It's always way easier for us to work up a really righteous silence breaking rage when the issue on the table is someone else's, also when the issue leaves us feeling so superior about the cultures we live in. When the tables are turned and we're asked difficult questions about issues we're not prepared to deal with, then the silence...is deafening. Hey,
I think that linking the two issues together would push the wimmin away from getting the medical support they need for their fisutlas. One is a physiological birth related concern. The other is a cultural, religious, familial, community concern. It’s loaded. It’s also infused with all sorts of power relations that haven’t completely been unpacked. As you know, I have serious issue with Western wimmin, white wimmin who shy away from speaking openly about so many issues in their own backyards, who mostly prefer to turn away from uncomfortable realities over here in north amerikkkan getting all righteous about issues that don’t directly touch their lives. It’s always way easier for us to work up a really righteous silence breaking rage when the issue on the table is someone else’s, also when the issue leaves us feeling so superior about the cultures we live in. When the tables are turned and we’re asked difficult questions about issues we’re not prepared to deal with, then the silence…is deafening.

]]> by: The Midwife http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117386 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:39:43 +0000 http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117386 I know it's not directed at me, and you do indeed raise a very good point. My thoughts on FGM have been mutating greatly through the years (see my latest <a href="http://www.bellytales.com/2007/11/01/female-genital-circumcision-revisited/" rel="nofollow">post</a>, where all prior thoughts were totally turned on their head), but I agree that FGM is only going to make obstructed labor worse. People probably shy away from it because it's controversial and unsavory and violent, and why bring up a whole other ball of wax when you're in the middle of trying to make an ultimately uplifting movie about fistulas? Anyway, I'm going to try to see the movie tomorrow, so I'll let you know! :-) I know it’s not directed at me, and you do indeed raise a very good point. My thoughts on FGM have been mutating greatly through the years (see my latest post, where all prior thoughts were totally turned on their head), but I agree that FGM is only going to make obstructed labor worse. People probably shy away from it because it’s controversial and unsavory and violent, and why bring up a whole other ball of wax when you’re in the middle of trying to make an ultimately uplifting movie about fistulas? Anyway, I’m going to try to see the movie tomorrow, so I’ll let you know!

:-)

]]> by: sagefemme http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117088 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:46:40 +0000 http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117088 I want to hear what you think about this documentary... For me, I'm always a little amazed at one thing that gets left out of this issue: female genital mutilation. Obstructed labors cause tremendous harm to women and babies (including death), but I wonder how prevalent the rate of fistulas would be without this ritualized abuse. Between hygeine, obstructed labors and (to me a bigger reason) FGM, the rates of fistulas are only going to continue to rise. Why is FGM not mentioned hardly at all in these talks/documentaries/episodes of Oprah? Is it because it's seen as some sacred sacrament that cannot be discussed or blamed for these outcomes? I don't agree with the zero rate of fistulas in the US. I have personally known two women, after deep episiotomies (one with forceps) that had rectovaginal fistulas after their births. If it's happening in US hoptial birth settings surely the rate is not zero, right? Anyway, I know I get ranty - I just can't believe this issue either omits or downplays the role of FGM in the prevalence of fistulas in these communities. It's not directed at you - just at the world at large. :) xo I want to hear what you think about this documentary…

For me, I’m always a little amazed at one thing that gets left out of this issue: female genital mutilation. Obstructed labors cause tremendous harm to women and babies (including death), but I wonder how prevalent the rate of fistulas would be without this ritualized abuse. Between hygeine, obstructed labors and (to me a bigger reason) FGM, the rates of fistulas are only going to continue to rise.

Why is FGM not mentioned hardly at all in these talks/documentaries/episodes of Oprah? Is it because it’s seen as some sacred sacrament that cannot be discussed or blamed for these outcomes?

I don’t agree with the zero rate of fistulas in the US. I have personally known two women, after deep episiotomies (one with forceps) that had rectovaginal fistulas after their births. If it’s happening in US hoptial birth settings surely the rate is not zero, right?

Anyway, I know I get ranty - I just can’t believe this issue either omits or downplays the role of FGM in the prevalence of fistulas in these communities. It’s not directed at you - just at the world at large. :)

xo

]]> by: The Midwife http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117086 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:12:56 +0000 http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117086 Yeah, amazing how statistics like that always really put things into perspective. Yeah, amazing how statistics like that always really put things into perspective.

]]> by: mandiezd http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117016 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:38:14 +0000 http://www.bellytales.com/2008/02/24/a-walk-to-beautiful/#comment-117016 what horrible conditions to give birth in, we in the US take medical care for granted. We worry about trivial things like "am I a failure as a woman since my birth didn't go as planned." It doesn't occur to most women to be concerned with real trauma. what horrible conditions to give birth in, we in the US take medical care for granted. We worry about trivial things like “am I a failure as a woman since my birth didn’t go as planned.” It doesn’t occur to most women to be concerned with real trauma.

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