Why are so many comparisons being drawn between the new Texas abortion law and "The Handmaid's Tale?"

auMatech · 2021-09-05T07:09:56+00:00

Funny how they quote this fiction while focusing primarily on the women who are forced into these 'handmaid' positions.

These women, called Handmaids, are assigned to the homes of the ruling elite

This as a primer is basically pure distilled apex fallacy. And the fact that feminists are throwing their weight fully behind this story shows just how out of touch they are with reality.

To add some perspective to this, from what I understand, men who are not loyalists or part of the elite are sent to be worked to death in colonies or straight up killed.

You never hear about this. Maybe we should quote this when talking about the workplace death gap, stating something like 'man, this is just like the handmaid's tale'. Boy what a shit storm that would kick loose...

RoryTate · 2021-09-05T17:10:08+00:00

That is a good question, but I think it can be asked better in a slightly different form: "Why do so many feminists enjoy watching The Handmaid's Tale in the first place?". The writer of the book source material is Margaret Atwood, who is herself a very vocal and often extreme feminist. So why does this type of over-the-top story of female oppression appeal so much to those involved in this man-hating ideology?

One of the most important answers to this question comes down to the fact that they are all suffering from "outrage addiction". I've noted before that people will yell words like "misogyny!" and "racist!" because it actually gives them an intense feeling of righteous anger, so much so that it's become a physical addiction at this point because of the dopamine hits they get when shouting such slurs at anyone and everyone. And like any addiction, it constantly requires greater and greater highs to stave off the withdrawal symptoms. Pretending that the biological fact that men's testicles need to be kept cool, or that the compromises of office air conditioning temperatures, or many other mundane annoyances of daily life – if they can even be called that – are actually the height of "misogyny" (which was a term that was formerly reserved for a tiny few extreme and mentally-ill male individuals who actually tried to kill those of the opposite sex simply for the fact that they were female) is the common symptom of this disease.

Clockw0rk · 2021-09-05T05:38:37+00:00

"Why don't American feminists talk about this more?"

In case you haven't noticed, American Feminists are more concerned about painting women as an oppressed minority. Any victim narrative they can sink their teeth into is fair game. Their followers are stupid enough to believe it.

Paperhorizon222 · 2021-09-05T04:59:50+00:00

Dude i remember watching the first episode for A CLASS TEXT TO STUDY. My teacher didn't skip or even give a heads up about the; rape, torture or any of those aspects. I honestly found the show quite disgusting and its even worse that its being used for abortion laws

AcidKritana · 2021-09-05T06:44:48+00:00

I think it's useless for people to blame anti-abortion laws on "patriarchy." (Related, and I'll say how it fits in with the novel in a sec.) Women and men are almost equally likely to be anti-abortion, about a 1% difference I think, and there's several million more women than men in the US, meaning that there are probably more anti-abortion women than anti-abortion men total. (There are also probably more pro-abortion women than pro-abortion men total due to this number, as well.)

"Patriarchy" cannot be blamed when it's mainly women who are doing it. (Not matriarchy either.) In the book, it has a patriarchal government controlling women's bodies and using them as breeding mares for other parts of society. Women, at least in the US and most of the world, are not treated like this. There are some parts of the world that treat women like this, that's undeniable.

However, the US certainly isn't one. The US government also isn't really patriarchal - women are the majority of voters, and they're the ones largely responsible for these kinds of election results mostly. They can also take out the male politicians if they wanted to - it's happened before, when the old French royal family was stormed by the physically strong, poor women who then over threw them. Granted, that was a completely different century, but there are still ways that this could happen.

Their issues and the like also get overly represented. Not saying get rid of their representation, especially with their issues, but rather also include male issue representation/male representation (I mean of actually the common male, not how many males are up there). So to compare the two is to get a complete and utter unparallel result. That's just my two cents on it, you should also read what other people are saying, some interesting arguments and the like.

WeaknessTechnical654 · 2021-09-05T05:08:59+00:00

Personally, I think anti-abortion ideology is caused by strong religious beliefs, not because of a desire to control women. Women and Men hold very similar views around abortion. The best way for feminists to tackle the anti-abortion ideology would be to fight the arguments made by the anti-abortion activists instead of blaming the patriarchy.

greyone75 · 2021-09-05T04:55:19+00:00

It just makes for a good headline. Remember, it’s the clicks that count more than anything.

urahara64360 · 2021-09-05T10:43:16+00:00

Because every feminist I've ever met fully believes that the handmaids Tale is an actually plausible future. They seem to legitimately believe that it is the future the patriarchy is working toward. Even with the religious undertones that wouldn't ever exist in today's society.

TracyMorganFreeman · 2021-09-05T05:36:35+00:00

Because they liken not getting to opt out of pregnancy as the same as forcibly being impregnated as a broodmare for society.

FoulTarnished124 · 2021-09-05T19:14:55+00:00

Why are so many people defending the Texas abortion law?

Men-Are-Human · 2021-09-05T08:20:36+00:00

Because they're overly dramatic and think they're oppressed because they aren't getting their way re baby killing.

MetamaxPerformance · 2021-09-05T16:44:55+00:00

The comparison is apt, although the degree to which it is appropriate is relative to the state of women's rights in the country in question. So, it is apt in the India but less apt in the U.S., although the problem is the U.S. is going in the WRONG direction at the moment in MANY ways, not just women's rights but labor rights, freedom of the press, the right to vote...the U.S. is going backwards in many ways.

gliderxlr8 · 2021-09-05T05:57:58+00:00

I think it’s because of the book’s popularity. It’s something that a large majority of women have read or watched and a central theme of the novel (I haven’t seen the show so idk if it’s the same) is that the government is heavily involved in reproductive rights of women.

Seeing such a large step from the Texas state government into the sphere of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights I think it’s only natural to reference a pop culture icon like these books .

I don’t know anyone who references the novel that truly believes we are exactly like the fictional gilead, it’s just a reference that other people will understand.

As for the level of privilege as American women. I think we often have a level of privilege we’re not aware of, but I also think you can draw parallels to harder situations without it being some contest of who has it worse.

JYoungSocial · 2021-09-05T07:00:26+00:00

Just so we are all on the same page, the new TX law does *NOT* criminally apply to women in *ANY* way. The new law does *NOT* apply to the women who have abortions.

*The new law clears the way for civil suits to be filed by private citizens against medical personnel who provide abortion services.*

Please do not take this post as "pro-choice" nor "pro-life".. Please do not take my post as an assertion there there "will" or "will not" be cultural repercussions against women who have abortions. I am merely stating a *fact* about the *TX law.* and it's legal realities.

Thank you.

SoulKeen · 2021-09-05T13:29:01+00:00

Because gringo women are drama queens and they love to compare themselves or compare things that are happening in the country with exaggerated examples in order to look like mega hyper super victims of society.

shotexa · 2021-09-05T14:54:38+00:00

I'm absolutely not religious and I strongly support anti-abortion law. You don't need to be religious to be against murder.

mr_nook · 2021-09-05T15:55:35+00:00

i sincerely doubt people are actually making the case that this is the handmaids tale, but it’s shockingly true to a certain extent. and ofc other countries have it worse but that doesn’t make the struggle any less worthy.

LostJava · 2021-09-05T12:29:14+00:00

Abortion is baby murder. On one hand it's your kid you can murder it without consequences to me. On the other hand I don't want to share space with someone comfy merking their own child (like who am I)

LancLad1987 · 2021-09-05T12:42:48+00:00

It isnt the law in itself but the strong links to a lack of separation of church and state, just like in the book. Lawmakers are leaning on people's Christian belief to gain acceptance to an ideology that removes women's rights. The book is honestly word for word how it begins by utilising the religious right to pass laws like this.

EnvironmentalWar4627 · 2021-09-05T09:29:34+00:00

The same reason feminists get compared to nazis or the KKK. Because hyperbole sells.

ChadWolf98 · 2021-09-05T12:40:44+00:00

Its just feminist/liberal/pro choice fearmongering. US is so far from Gilead I cannot even tell

If there is a country close to Gilead it would be Afghanistan. Which the US taxpayers just funded with tons of taxpayer funded weapons. Aka, given them means of oppression, or a way to create Gilead for real

>> Is some level of privilege being conveniently exploited?

Imo abortion is a privilege itself, not a right, but I know many disagree with me. But yes, continuosly whining and blaming others, and not being ok with democracy if you dislike a law seem to be a feminist/liberal, and in a lesser way, a female privilege.

>> Why don't American feminists talk about this more?

Why would they start to become honest if it doesn't serve their own interest? Whining on (inter)national scale brings up more support for their causes.

TheRabid · 2021-09-05T14:28:53+00:00

I feel that it’s gives them purpose and gives meaning to people’s suffering. It’s like the comparisons to other books and other events.

throwaway3569387340 · 2021-09-05T16:21:28+00:00

Melodrama yields donations

ThrowawayGhostGuy1 · 2021-09-05T16:26:38+00:00

Because NPC’s don’t know much nuance or actual details of policies. They just grab onto whatever comparison is given to them by the media.

fanartaltmanfartsalt · 2021-09-05T16:40:56+00:00

people don't want complex analysis of difficult issues: they want simple sound bytes to parrot as Talking Point X whenever Conversation Topic Y comes up.

It's quite handy tbh. once someone drops a line like that, I know I don't have to waste any of my time or energy on the pointless task of trying to communicate with them. it would be nice if more people were so forthright about their own shortcomings.

Siganid · 2021-09-05T20:09:13+00:00

It's a fallacy called reducto ad absurdum.

Rol9x · 2021-09-06T00:24:01+00:00

It's just a good PR gimmick.

quipstermel · 2021-09-06T13:44:55+00:00

I saw this post scrolling through the feeds and decided to respond. I'm female, pro choice and hate this law.

So, from my perspective, the correlation between handmaid's tale and the abortion isn't an exact side to side comparison and more of an example of general oppression. No women are not being assigned to households and forced to have sex with rich men as brood mares, however there is a stripping of rights to both of these related to reproduction and body autonomy.

Does a woman have the right to choose to be pregnant or not? In the book, she does not. With a 6 week abortion ban, she does but only if she can tell she's pregnant in time (this is not simple, bodies are different), has the money for the process/drugs (not everyone does), has the money/means to travel (not everyone does), has the time off of work (not everyone does), and other factors. Essentially, the only people that may have the ability to get an abortion are people with money with certain biological cycles who are testing regularly.

So considering all the logistics of that, you're talking about government laws removing the ability of women to manage their own bodies and the allowing of people unrelated to the pregnant person to make family and reproductive decisions without regard to their personal wants, needs, or decision. Its a matter of control.

Thus, handmaid's tale comparisons.

Banake · 2021-10-18T23:37:43+00:00

I still consider this article the best thing that I ever read about this book.

International_Duck49 · 2021-09-05T11:24:20+00:00

Because its the only frame of reference white women have to actually compare and relate to loosing the rights to bodily autonomy and the health risks associated with pregnancy. Ignoring the fact that minorities have to live that reality every day. This is tangentially related to the post but white women will relate with fictional women oppressed on a fictional society, before they listen to the fact that POC women actually live their fictional oppressed reality.

mikesteane · 2021-09-05T07:04:40+00:00

Your understanding of foreign cultures could benefit from actual exposure to those cultures.

Title	Why are so many comparisons being drawn between the new Texas abortion law and "The Handmaid's Tale?"
Author	Thomaswiththecru
Upvotes	149
Comments	107
Date	September 5, 2021 4:45 AM UTC (4 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/pi6mkn/why_are_so_many_comparisons_being_drawn_between/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/why-are-so-many-comparisons-being-drawn-between.1066809 https://theredarchive.com/post/1066809

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