I was going to take time in this column to wow my potential reader with the concept of the “Library Bar”: a holy sanctuary of alcoholic beverages and dog-eared, good-smelling books, which would have been gloriously fun to write about.
But unfortunately, that will have to wait for a happier time. UF students woke up Monday morning to the dreaded reality that a visit we’ve been avoiding for months has indeed come. Those doggone anti-abortion protesters, the group called Created Equal is back at it again on our lovely campus, spouting religion-based bigotry and potentially triggering images.
I’ve written about these people before, but after three years of them setting up shop for a week or so every Spring semester, I think it’s grown dull. My attempts to interact with these people include everything from hearing their arguments, to declaring that I really disagree with and dislike their organization, to suggesting they start handing out free condoms so people can get something potentially beneficial out of an upsetting conversation.
I am tired of them. They will never change my opinions, and it seems unlikely they will glean anything from what people who share my views have to say. Many of the Created Equal protesters I see lounging around on Turlington Plaza with mulish expressions look like they barely know what they want to be when they grow up, much less if this is how they should be spending their time. However, in keeping with my bookish column theme, I present to you, dear reader, a few related titles to page through if you are interested in hearing something other than the fear-mongering propaganda spewed by Created Equal this week. Behold: “Babygate: How to Survive Pregnancy and Parenting in the Workplace,” by Dina Bakst, Phoebe Taubman and Elizabeth Gedmark. It looks at the discrimination mothers and expectant mothers face at work. It explores root causes and provides advice on how to navigate one’s way through the already-perilous-enough trials of building a family. It’s an excellent look into some issues more people should be discussing instead of fighting over the rights of unborn fetuses.
“Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights,” by Katha Pollitt: Could I resist throwing in a little pro-choice literature? No, I could not. Created Equal wouldn’t like this book, but they should probably read it anyway. Pollitt uses facts and information to back up her arguments while reminding her readers of the tragedies that can and did happen to women and families when fundamental choices regarding their bodies and futures were stripped away.
And finally, on a lighter note, I present “Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World without Rape,” by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti. This book actually inspired a sex-positive seminar that runs every semester at UF called “Yes Means Yes." Everything I’ve heard about it says you should go sign up right now. For anyone with questions about safe sex, great sex, sexual identity and consent, look no further. When it comes to the abortion debate, better sex education is an idea everyone should agree with.
Maybe someone from Created Equal will pick up this paper between bouts of self-righteous rhetoric and decide to add some titles to their reading list this year. No matter where you stand on the issue of abortion rights, I hope these books are informative, interesting and a respite from images of mangled fetuses on your morning Starbucks commute. I suppose at this point in today’s overly politicized climate, that’s about all one can hope for.
Sally Greider is an English and public relations junior. Her column appears on Wednesdays.
