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Book Recs/Movie Recs, 2/12/10: Super Outrage Edition
Friday, February 12th, 2010 09:28 amIn Books:
Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, by Jennifer Block: I must confess that I read a great part of this book gaping in surprise and outrage; Edvard Munch's "Scream" and I sat on the couch, paging through chapter after chapter of alternately creepy and disheartening work on the over-medicalization of birth, demonization of midwives and their work, and the disenfranchisement of women from their own pregnancies. Block skillfully traces the history of medicalized childbirth from the early 1900s to the present day, weaving the historical information in between anecdotes from midwives who practice their work illegally and mothers who want to have a say in the birth of their children after horrific experiences where their wishes were ignored, and in some cases, their lives endangered. The saddest part of this narrative is, perhaps, the (difficult to substantiate) cases of women who've had cesareans with their first pregnancy who want to give vaginal birth with their second, but are told by doctors and insurance companies that they're not "allowed" to do so. In some cases, these women are able to find midwives (legal or otherwise) who will assist them, but in some cases, they simply go it alone (which can be deemed to be abusive to the child, depending on the State the birth occurs in.) Block also presents compelling evidence that the standard, hospital method of giving "natural" birth (the mother lying on her back, pushing, inducing labor, etc) isn't necessarily the most healthy method for mother and baby, either. Too often, she argues, births and the birth process are treated in a way that doesn't take into account the parents' desires and ultimately, threatens the health of mother and child.
Block, a former editor of Ms. magazine, is clearly bewildered why issues of childbirth and methods of delivery aren't part of more pro-choice/pro-women groups' agendas (and are, in fact, often ignored in political platforms of these groups). Having read this, I have to say that I agree with her confusion over this issue. Given the over-politicalizing of the early stages of birth/conception, I am surprised that the final months of pregnancy don't warrant the same kind of attention, especially with some of the stories that Block relates of women being arrested for trying to give birth at home, or the forced c-sections for women who say they don't want them. (One of Block's most interesting subjects is a vehemently Catholic, pro-life couple, who end up marching in the Pro-Choice march in Washington to support a woman's right to choose how she gives birth after the mother is forced to have a c-section by her doctors.) Ethically speaking, Block asks, do women have a right to natural birth, and at what point can the state step in, if at all?
Block's own agenda came through very loud and clear throughout the book; she's very anti-c-section. I didn't entirely agree with all her points on this issue and thought that trying to link flesh-eating bacteria infections to the operation, in particular, undermined her argument. What I came away with from this book is that when it comes time for my own pregnancy, I am going to call the shots, no matter what, but knowing this will be an uphill battle. (One of my life goals, which is to avoid major surgery, was definitely affirmed by reading this work.) However, after reading this, I certainly don't begrudge anyone else their choices in delivery, as long as those choices are well-informed and not governed by an overburdened, overinsured medical system that only cares about statistics and speed of birth.
On DVD:
Prom Night in Mississippi: Three years ago, Morgan Freeman's hometown, Charleston, Mississippi, was still having racially segregated proms. Freeman heard about this and decided that he wanted to do something about it; that the idea of having a "black prom" and a "white prom" in 2007 was morally repugnant. He offered to pay for the whole prom if it were integrated. This film chronicles that offer and the responses in the school and surrounding community, and ultimately, the prom itself, in 2008. The strengths of this film lie in its careful attention to detail, like the students emerging from rundown houses and trailers in their prom finery, or the touching relationship between one of the few interracial couples at the school, Heather and Jeremy. The students, as a whole, talk about racism rather wearily, something that their parents are afflicted with and that must be worked against in order to make the school and the community a better place. A group of parents (who refuse to be interviewed, except through their lawyer) still throws a white prom, to the dismay of some of the students. But in the end, the integrated prom happens, and goes off without a hitch. The filmmakers cut back to Freeman, who says that he simply wants to give the students a place to socialize and talk, and it's clear this is accomplished. (There's a great couple of shots of the girl's bathroom where the black and white girls fall to talking about whose dress is the prettiest, and what their dates are going to be like.) Ultimately, this is a very hopeful film, that despite the outrageous ignorance and prejudice, racial harmony will out, especially in the hands of the younger (and wiser) generation.
Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, by Jennifer Block: I must confess that I read a great part of this book gaping in surprise and outrage; Edvard Munch's "Scream" and I sat on the couch, paging through chapter after chapter of alternately creepy and disheartening work on the over-medicalization of birth, demonization of midwives and their work, and the disenfranchisement of women from their own pregnancies. Block skillfully traces the history of medicalized childbirth from the early 1900s to the present day, weaving the historical information in between anecdotes from midwives who practice their work illegally and mothers who want to have a say in the birth of their children after horrific experiences where their wishes were ignored, and in some cases, their lives endangered. The saddest part of this narrative is, perhaps, the (difficult to substantiate) cases of women who've had cesareans with their first pregnancy who want to give vaginal birth with their second, but are told by doctors and insurance companies that they're not "allowed" to do so. In some cases, these women are able to find midwives (legal or otherwise) who will assist them, but in some cases, they simply go it alone (which can be deemed to be abusive to the child, depending on the State the birth occurs in.) Block also presents compelling evidence that the standard, hospital method of giving "natural" birth (the mother lying on her back, pushing, inducing labor, etc) isn't necessarily the most healthy method for mother and baby, either. Too often, she argues, births and the birth process are treated in a way that doesn't take into account the parents' desires and ultimately, threatens the health of mother and child.
Block, a former editor of Ms. magazine, is clearly bewildered why issues of childbirth and methods of delivery aren't part of more pro-choice/pro-women groups' agendas (and are, in fact, often ignored in political platforms of these groups). Having read this, I have to say that I agree with her confusion over this issue. Given the over-politicalizing of the early stages of birth/conception, I am surprised that the final months of pregnancy don't warrant the same kind of attention, especially with some of the stories that Block relates of women being arrested for trying to give birth at home, or the forced c-sections for women who say they don't want them. (One of Block's most interesting subjects is a vehemently Catholic, pro-life couple, who end up marching in the Pro-Choice march in Washington to support a woman's right to choose how she gives birth after the mother is forced to have a c-section by her doctors.) Ethically speaking, Block asks, do women have a right to natural birth, and at what point can the state step in, if at all?
Block's own agenda came through very loud and clear throughout the book; she's very anti-c-section. I didn't entirely agree with all her points on this issue and thought that trying to link flesh-eating bacteria infections to the operation, in particular, undermined her argument. What I came away with from this book is that when it comes time for my own pregnancy, I am going to call the shots, no matter what, but knowing this will be an uphill battle. (One of my life goals, which is to avoid major surgery, was definitely affirmed by reading this work.) However, after reading this, I certainly don't begrudge anyone else their choices in delivery, as long as those choices are well-informed and not governed by an overburdened, overinsured medical system that only cares about statistics and speed of birth.
On DVD:
Prom Night in Mississippi: Three years ago, Morgan Freeman's hometown, Charleston, Mississippi, was still having racially segregated proms. Freeman heard about this and decided that he wanted to do something about it; that the idea of having a "black prom" and a "white prom" in 2007 was morally repugnant. He offered to pay for the whole prom if it were integrated. This film chronicles that offer and the responses in the school and surrounding community, and ultimately, the prom itself, in 2008. The strengths of this film lie in its careful attention to detail, like the students emerging from rundown houses and trailers in their prom finery, or the touching relationship between one of the few interracial couples at the school, Heather and Jeremy. The students, as a whole, talk about racism rather wearily, something that their parents are afflicted with and that must be worked against in order to make the school and the community a better place. A group of parents (who refuse to be interviewed, except through their lawyer) still throws a white prom, to the dismay of some of the students. But in the end, the integrated prom happens, and goes off without a hitch. The filmmakers cut back to Freeman, who says that he simply wants to give the students a place to socialize and talk, and it's clear this is accomplished. (There's a great couple of shots of the girl's bathroom where the black and white girls fall to talking about whose dress is the prettiest, and what their dates are going to be like.) Ultimately, this is a very hopeful film, that despite the outrageous ignorance and prejudice, racial harmony will out, especially in the hands of the younger (and wiser) generation.
