Dershowitz on Prenatal Rights

This type of argument to limit women’s rights would be ridiculous if it weren’t so chilling. It merely proves that attitudes towards women are once again regressing to the Stone Age. This author and others like him believe that a woman’s body is merely a receptacle for bearing children, and must be taken care of and protected as such.

As soon as she becomes pregnant, a woman falls from second-class citizen to third-class citizen--below men and fertilized eggs!

In addition, I am skeptical of this recent concern over protecting the health of the “future child.” People have been harming their health and the health of those around them for decades. For example, most of us would agree that smoking is harmful. Yet, why should a pregnant woman be forcefully prohibited from smoking for fear of endangering the health of her “future child” when the person sitting next to me at work, or in a public lounge, or in a restaurant is allowed to smoke, which endangers my health? It would seem that regulating “unhealthy” behavior is only convenient if restricted to women.

The seemingly reasonable arguments, couched in seemingly logical terms, that are used in this article are the same ones used by the anti-choice fanatics, and mask the true prejudices of such men and the women they have brainwashed. This type of insidious argument is the same as that used to mask racism and bigotry, and is equally as abhorrent.

It was quite moving to read this article, written by a man, and the article by Andrea Dworkin, “Political Callousness on Violence Toward Women” (Opinion) both in the same section. Ms. Dworkin very effectively points out how male dominance has harmed women. I note the tone of male dominance in the Dershowitz article.

KATHRYN S. TARBELL

Brea