Choice: The New Progressive Frame
by Rachel Neumann, AlterNet.org
Rachel
Neumann believes that choice will be one of the most buzzed about
issues in 2006. Here's how, in her opinion, progressives can
frame the message.
The Right To Mother – At the Right Time
No one's
exactly sure about John Roberts, but with Samuel “Scalito” Alito poised
to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, there's no doubt
reproductive rights will either be hammered away at or outright beaten.
The terms “pro-life” and “pro-choice,” never that accurate to begin
with, have become increasingly irrelevant. Most people, given a choice
between life and the abstract concept of choice, would chose life.
Besides, women have pointed out that “choice” was not always the key
factor in determining whether they have abortions; often economic,
social, personal or other factors they didn't have control over forced
their decisions. Yet despite a new urgency to protect reproductive rights, progressives still flounder when it comes to how to talk about it.
NARAL,
one of the oldest and largest reproductive rights lobbying groups, has
changed its name to NARAL Pro-Choice America. Not exactly catchy. And
its big campaign, to prevent Alito from becoming a Supreme Court
justice, is called “Stop Anti-Choice Alito.”
The
National Organization of Women, the other big feminist and reproductive
rights group, calls its campaign: “Save Women's Reproductive Freedom.”
Not much more accurate and a bit wordy to rally the troops.
The most
successful attempt at coalition building and framing of reproductive
rights happened in April 2004, when over a million women joined the
March for Women's Lives in Washington. In 2005, SoapBox launched “I Had
An Abortion” speak-outs and T-shirts, very popular with young women.
The trick for 2006 is taking this personalizing of the reproductive
rights experience and translating it into effective political and legal
strategy. Perhaps 2006 will be the year the idea of “life vs. choice”
finally dies and a real debate takes its place.
How about trying
The Right To Mother – At the Right Time?Take a look at Neumann's other top issues for 2006 and their progressive frame here.
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