Mr. President,
In the light of recent events, I have felt more compelled than ever to write something. It’s always been hard for me to voice my opinion when I can’t put it into words without stumbling over sentences, especially if my opinion involves an upsetting topic. If I’m ever upset about something I either listen to music or I make art. But at this time, I find that I can do neither of those things. My next option is to write to you.
When I was younger, I never concerned myself with politics. I thought because I was a kid, it didn’t concern me. And that because I wasn’t able to vote, it shouldn’t concern me.
Now I know that I land on the far left-wing of the political spectrum just as you, Mr. President, are on the far right. My beliefs and yours collide. People have differing ideas about everything. I do try my best respect others’ opinions and I will always listen to what people have to say about their beliefs. I have family who are supporters of yours, and at first I was skeptical. I am definitely skeptical still. But their reasoning was either that they wanted jobs or they want our country to be safe and protected. I can understand that and I do respect that. People need jobs to have an income. We live in a capitalist country, so money is a necessity. And yes, there is terrorism in this world, and in our country too. People are allowed to be afraid and to fear for themselves and others. I can respect those reasons.
However, if someone starts spouting pointless hate towards another person or group of people, I cannot and I will not listen to it. If someone is threatening to take away another person’s or a group of people’s rights, I won’t stand for it.
Being a teenager, it feels like there is not a lot I can do to help. I’m in between: not a child, but I’m not an adult either. So what can I do? If things aren’t going to affect me, why should I care?
It’s going to affect others. That’s why I care.
Mr. President, you have done a lot since you were elected into office. And I’ll be honest here, I disagree with basically everything I’ve heard of so far.
For example, on February 21st a bill was passed in Oklahoma which requires women to get written permission from the father of their child to before they can be allowed to get an abortion. As the President, you obviously know this and I’m sure you’ve heard many opinions about this.
I don’t agree with it.
House Representative for Oklahoma, Justin Humphrey, stated, “I believe one of the breakdowns in our society is that we have excluded the man out of all of these types of decisions,” he said. “I understand that they feel like that is their body,” he said of women. “I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host.’ And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant,” he explained. “So that’s where I’m at. I’m like, hey, your body is your body and be responsible with it. But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”
I’m going break this down. He says that we have excluded men in these types of decisions—the decision being one that a woman makes about her own body. I cannot comprehend how this is a part of a real argument. Nobody should be able to make a decision about another person’s body. If it’s your body, you can make the choice for yourself. If it’s not your body, then you do not get a say. It’s that simple.
He next states, “I understand that they feel like that is their body…” How can my body not be my body? I live and I breathe, just as I walk and talk in this body. Only I should be able to make the decisions about this body.
It is mine and mine alone.
He brings up that if you were responsible, you shouldn’t have gotten pregnant and so it is ultimately the woman’s fault. This is wrong. Here are a few reasons why: being raped or forced into carrying a child, the inability to care for or afford a child, carrying a child being detrimental to your health, and lastly, the fact that accidents happen. I’m only sixteen and I understand this better than many adults.
Fact: Condoms don’t always work!
Fact: You cannot blame women for this!
Mr. President, I am sure you’ve heard this all before. I just need to bring up one last thing before I end this. The fact that he calls women hosts.
Let me make this clear. I. Am. Not. A. Host. Using that word to describe me is insulting and degrading. The fact that women are being described this way in 2017 is horrifying. The fact that people actually believe this about women is unfathomable, yet here we are, so I’ll say it again. I am not a host.
I am a woman.
I am a young woman living in a world that is so full of hate while trying my best to keep on going and staying positive. I have friends and family who tell me not to worry, that the things you do in your presidency won’t affect me in any way. But it doesn’t matter if the things you do affect me or not because they will affect others and I cannot ignore that. You should not ignore that.
We the people of the United States, right? We are your people now. No matter our race, no matter our religion, no matter our gender, no matter our sex, and no matter what our opinions are. No matter. Because it doesn’t matter, it shouldn’t matter.
Everyone who lives in this country is a person, and a person has the right to choose for themselves.
Comments are closed.