Sunday Evening Thoughts

Mother Jones: The Republican War on Contraception

I was watching a film the other night 'Made in Dagenham' and the lead character Rita O'Grady (a composite of several real life women who took part in the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant) and she is having a argument with her husband about her taking part and leading the strike

Anyways to cut a long story short her husband tells her that he has always treated her well etc. and she replies that things like equal pay that they should be a right, not a privilege

Its my long winded way of saying why are there are still people who still argue over the right for a women to have access to contraception, to abortion, to healthcare, to equality. They lost the argument a long time ago.

Here's the scene:

Eddie O'Grady: Christ, I like a drink, but I ain't out havin' a beer every night or screwin' other women, or... 'Ere, I've never once had me hand up at you. Ever. Or the kids.
Rita O'Grady: Christ.
Eddie O'Grady: What? Why are you looking like that?
Rita O'Grady: Right. You're a saint now, is that what you're tellin' me, Eddie? You're a bleedin' saint? 'Cause you give us an even break?
Eddie O'Grady: What are you saying?
Rita O'Grady: That is as it should be. Jesus, Eddie! What do you think this strike's all been about, eh? Oh yeah. Actually you're right. You don't go on the drink, do ya? You don't gamble, you join in with the kids, you don't knock us about. Oh, lucky me. For Christ's sake, Eddie, that's as it should be! You try and understand that. Rights, not privileges. It's that easy. It really bloody is.