FEMALE, FIFTY AND FURIOUS

I am a middle-aged woman (married and a mother) living in Ohio; and I'm pretty pissed off.  Actually, I'm furious.  Nothing like a stressed-out, perio-menopausal woman with a natural temper who admits to being furious.  I probably ought to get my husband one of those flash-over tents that forest firefighters use.  So, most of you probably have a general idea about why I'm so hot under the collar with all the news Ohio has been making in regard to restricting women's reproductive rights.  And, yes, that's the general reason.  But it's also just the tip of the iceberg. 

The message I personally take away from the Ohio Legislature and Gov. John Kasich is that I, a mature woman, business owner and professional, a college-educated woman, am not capable of making decisions with a medical professional about my body without the "assistance" of the State.  I'm not sure which I find more offensive; that I am not smart enough to know what is best for me and my family, or that a bunch of politcians think they are more qualified than my doctor.  And, yeah, I realize at my age, it's unlikely, but technically it's still possible that I would be in such a position. 
Which brings up a whole other mess.  But, thinking about all that gets me just angry.

What gets me furious is the elimination of easy, affordable access to general gynecological health care for thousands of women.  Yep, that's what defunding Planned Parenthood will do.  Existing non-PP affiliated clinics have stated that they do not have the capacity to take on all the women who will be left without women's healthcare, and Planned Parenthood is the only one with sliding scale fees.  One reason that really pisses me off is that I just lost a friend to breast cancer.  Without Planned Parenthood, thousands of women may not be able to get regular, affordable mammograms.  Some will die.  Mothers, wives, sisters, daughters will die a painful death.  Women may not be able to get tested for cervical cancer; some will die.  They may not get tested for STD's which will spread.  Maybe to you, your spouse, your child, your parents. Planned Parenthood is the only affordable and accessible women's healthcare for   That kind of shit makes me furious.  And if a 40 year old mother dying of breast cancer or a 60 year old woman with syphillis doesn't make you furious, you're an idiot.
Deunding Planned Parenthood will not stop people from having sex and it will not stop abortion.  What it will do is kill women. 

I could easily go on and on, but this is a blog post, not a book.  Women's reproductive rights are critical to the physical and financial health and well-being of women, babies and their families.  Restricting access to affordable, quality women's care is going to hurt everyone.  Best case, more families and women will be forced into poverty.  Worst case, it's going to be a bloodbath. 
: IF YOU DON'T FUCKING SPEAK UP, YOU WON'T FUCKING BE HEARD!  STAND
WITH OHIO, TEXAS, WISCONSIN, NORTH CAROLINA .....  oh, hell ..... AMERICAN WOMEN!   - Female, Fifty and Furious