Ngibonga uNkulunkulu ngoMongameli Bush, futhi sibonge uNkulunkulu NgeJaji Eliyinhloko uJohn Roberts kanye Nomngane Wezobulungiswa uSamuel Alito,” kuphikisa uRichard Land weSouthern Baptist Convention ngeledlule, ngemva kokuba iNkantolo Ephakeme imemezele isinqumo sayo ecaleni likaGonzales v. Carhart, lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ngokwengxenye. -icala lokukhipha isisu. Kepha uLand naye bekufanele abonge uJustice Anthony Kennedy, umbono wakhe weningi uyihlela kabusha ngengozi inkulumo-mpikiswano yokuhushulwa kwezisu.

U-Kennedy akaqhubeki embuzweni wokulimala komntwana ongakazalwa–isisekelo lapho isenzo sekhongolose okukhulunywa ngaso sisekelwe kuso. Esikhundleni salokho, uthi ukuvinjelwa kwezinqubo ze-D&X-igama lezokwelapha lalokho inhlangano emelene nokhetho ekubiza ngokuhushula izisu ingxenye ethile-kufanele kuvunyelwe ngoba kuhloselwe ukuvikela abesifazane ekwenzeni ukukhetha okungqubuzana nemvelo yabo. UKennedy uthi: “Inhlonipho ngokuphila komuntu ibonakaliswa ekugcineni esibophweni sothando umama analo ngengane yakhe. Ekhathazekile ngokuthi abesifazane bangase bafunde imininingwane yokuthi inqubo yenziwa kanjani ngemva kweqiniso, uyabhala, “UMbuso unesithakazelo ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi ukukhetha okubi kakhulu kwaziswa kahle.”

 

Umbono kaKennedy ubukela phansi ukuvikelwa komthethosisekelo welungelo lowesifazane lokwenza izinqumo ezisungulwe ecaleni lika-Roe v. Wade. Futhi, ngendlela ephazamisayo, ibiza ukuqagela mayelana nabesifazane ababuyela emuva ezinqumweni ezingagunyaziwe zokusekela ubaba zeNkantolo Ephakeme. “Kuyizigaba ezimbalwa kuphela esinqumweni,” kuphawula uProfesa Reva Siegel waseYale Law School. “Kodwa kuyethusa.” Emazwini kaKennedy, umuntu uzwa enanela yokugcizelela okusha kwenhlangano emelene nokuzikhethela ekukhipheni isisu njengokwephulwa kweqiniso kokuthile okuwumgogodla wobuntu besifazane. Ubuchwepheshe bezokwelapha buthatha ingxenye enkulu yombono weningi leNkantolo, kodwa ukucabanga kuthinta imvelo yabesifazane kanye nobuqotho bezinqumo zabo zokuziphatha—ukwenqatshwa okusobala kwezimiso ezivamile zokubusa kwabesifazane besimanje.

 

Ukukhishwa kwezisu okusemthethweni kunesikweletu esikhulu enhlangano yabesifazane; ngaphandle kokungabaza, abesifazane besifazane babebucayi ezigabeni zokugcina zokusunduza. Kodwa umqondo wokuhushula isisu njengesidingo senhlalakahle yabesifazane waqala wavela kwabakhululekile nabalinganiselayo ngawo-1960 futhi waze wanikeza izimpikiswano zangaphambili zokulwela ilungelo lowesifazane lokukhetha. Cishe iminyaka engu-50, abantu baseMelika baye bakwazi ukuhlukanisa izimpikiswano ezingacacile mayelana nokuziphatha namalungelo abesifazane ezindabeni ezibambekayo zobuqotho nempilo yabo. U-Kennedy uyakuchitha lokhu kuqonda ngokuvuselela imibono yakudala yabesifazane kanye nokugunyaza i-pseudoscience entsha yenhlangano ephikisana nokukhethwa.

 

ukulahlekelwa okuphindaphindiwe empikiswaneni mayelana nokuhushulwa kwesisu kwe-D&X yiqiniso lokuthi inqubo ayivamile kakhulu; ngo-2000, kwakunezigameko ezingu-2,200 nje kuphela—noma amaphesenti angu-0.17 akho konke ukukhishwa kwezisu. Inqubo ayivamile ngoba isetshenziselwa ukuqeda ukukhulelwa sekwephuzile ku-trimester yesibili noma kamuva, ngaphambi kokusebenza kahle, ezimweni ezimbalwa lapho impilo yowesifazane isengozini. Ukukhipha izisu ngasekupheleni kwe-trimester yesibili kuhileleke kwezokwelapha, okungaba yingozi, kubuhlungu, futhi kube nzima ngokomzwelo. Ngakho ubani olinda isikhathi eside kangako? Impendulo ilula: abesifazane namantombazane ezifundazweni of duress. Lokhu kuhlanganisa intsha engazange iqaphele ukuthi ikhulelwe, noma ihlale inethemba lokuthi ayikhulelwe, noma eyesaba kakhulu ukutshela noma ubani futhi ithole usizo (isimo esivamile sezisulu zokulalana kwezihlobo). Kuhlanganisa nabesifazane ukukhulelwa kwabo okungahambanga kahle, njengabesifazane abatholakala bethwele izingane ezinokuphazamiseka okukhulu kwesistimu yezinzwa emaphakathi njenge-hydrocephaly.

 

Okuxakayo ukuthi ngabesifazane abafana nalaba, ababanjwe izimo ezibuhlungu, abaqale baqwashisa umphakathi ngesidingo sokulungisa kabusha umthetho wokuhushula izisu. Ngaphambi kuka-Roe v. Wade, ukukhipha isisu kwakwenziwa kabanzi njengoba kunjalo namuhla, kuyimfihlo esobala naphezu kokuba kwakungekho emthethweni yonke indawo. Kepha, ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yawo-50, ochwepheshe bezokwelapha babhekana nenkinga yezempilo yomphakathi njengoba izinga lokuhushula isisu lalikhuphuka futhi owesifazane owopha ngenxa yezinqubo ezingasebenzi kahle waba khona okujwayelekile emakamelweni abezimo eziphuthumayo esibhedlela. Abashisekeli bezinguquko baqala ngokuhlasela imithetho eyayivimbela abesifazane abakuphila kwabo kwakusongelwa noma ababekhulelwe ngenxa yokudlwengulwa noma ukulala nesihlobo ukuba bakhiphe izisu. Bacele ukuba imithetho evumela ukukhishwa kwezisu “okwelaphayo” ezimweni “ezinzima” igunyazwe ikomiti yodokotela basesibhedlela. Ngawo-'60s, umqondo wokuhushula isisu wathola amandla, wathola ukwesekwa kumaProthestani akhululekile namaJuda, abameli, odokotela bengqondo, nosonhlalakahle. Amaqembu amancane abunjwa ezweni lonke ukuze acindezele lolu daba ezishayamthetho zezifundazwe. Ukwethuka okubili mayelana nokukhubazeka kokuzalwa-ihlazo le-thalidomide kanye ne-rubella epidemic yango-1965- kwavusa ingxoxo mayelana nokuthi kusho ukuthini kowesifazane ukubeletha ingane eyayilimele kakhulu. Umqondo wesidingo esiphuthumayo wanda usuka ekukhulelweni okwafaka ukuphila kukamama engozini waya kokubeka impilo yakhe engokwengqondo engozini. Ngasekupheleni kwawo-60s, abaguquli base bewine imithetho yokuhushula isisu kokwelapha ezindaweni eziningi.

 

Esikhathini esifushane ngawo-'60s, ukukhipha isisu kokwelapha kwabonisa kuphela isidingo esiphuthumayo soshintsho olukhulu kakhulu. “Okuhlukile” kwezokwelapha akuzange kusebenze: Izicelo bezimbalwa, ngenxa yokuthi abesifazane baphonswa phansi yinqubo yokuhlola ethatha isikhathi neyokwahlulela phambi kwamaphaneli odokotela besilisa, futhi iningi labesifazane alizange lifaneleke. Amakomiti azabalaza ukuze anciphise inani lezicelo azigunyazayo, futhi kwaba nezindaba ezishaqisayo zabesifazane abanqatshelwe–njengowesifazane ovalelwe embhedeni wakhe ngenxa yevendle. Futhi amakomiti kwakungewona wodwa inkinga. Kwesinye isenzakalo esidumile, owesifazane wase-Afrika waseMelika osezingeni eliphakathi waseLong Island, ekhulelwe umbungu onezibazi ze-rubella, wagunyazwa ukuba akhiphe isisu ngendlela yokwelapha kodwa waba neshwa lokuwela ezandleni zikadokotela ongumKatolika oshisekayo omelene nokukhishwa kwezisu, owathi wamkhohlisa wakholelwa ukuthi umbungu ujwayelekile futhi wambuyisela ekhaya.

 

Kodwa, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukucindezela kokuhushula isisu ngendlela yokwelapha kwenza abantu baseMelika bobubili ubulili bacabange obala ngokuthi ukukhulelwa kusho ukuthini kulabo abasondelene kakhulu: owesifazane, umndeni wakhe, kanye nengane eyayingazalwa ingafunwa. Ukucatshangelwa kokuthi izimo zokukhulelwa zazimbi kangakanani ezimweni ezinzima kwaholela ekucabangeni ngobunzima obungabangelwa noma yikuphi ukukhulelwa. Inani elikhulu labantu—abaningi babo ababengaphandle kwepolitiki eqinile yeshumi leminyaka—bakholelwa ukuthi umbuso kufanele ugweme ukugxambukela esinqumweni, okwakumelwe sithathwe ngowesifazane okhulelwe ekugcineni. Ngo-1966, iSaturday Evening Post-njengento evamile njengoba beza-yabhala isihloko esithi "kufanele senze kube semthethweni ukukhipha isisu," futhi i-New York Times yahlelwa ukuba ibe semthethweni ngonyaka olandelayo. Ngo-1970, kwakunezinhlelo eziningi ezishayamthetho zombuso kanye nomphakathi owawuncike ekugunyazeni ukukhipha isisu, isikhathi.

 

Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi i-D&X isetshenziswa ukuqeda ukukhulelwa ngaphansi kwezimo lapho sekunesikhathi eside kuvunyelwana ngokuthi kumele kuhlonishwe izifiso zowesifazane. Kusengathi inhlangano emelene nokukhetha ibuyela emuva ngeminyaka yawo-'60s futhi izama ukwenza okunye, idiliza isisekelo sokuqala abaningi abangavumelana ngaso-ilungelo lowesifazane okhulelwe osesibophweni esibi sokuhushula isisu ngokusemthethweni. udokotela onekhono, ozobeka impilo nokuphepha kwakhe kuqala.

 

Ngakho-ke, naphezu kombono womphakathi, abaphikisi bokuhushula izisu bakwazi kanjani ukuguqula nokudicilela phansi izinyathelo zokusekela ukukhetha kuhulumeni nezifunda ngaphambi kuka-1973? Impendulo ilele ekuzimiseleni okungenakuphikiswa kwabagcini benkolo ukuhoxisa ukukhipha isisu njengenkulumo-mpikiswano mayelana nobungako bokubeletha kanye nobuntu bombungu, kunokuba kube udaba lwenhlalakahle yabesifazane. ISonto LamaKatolika laba ngelokuqala ukuhlasela ukuhushulwa kwezisu: Ngisho nangaphambi kukaRoe, abaphathi beSonto baxhumanisa umzamo wepherishi ngepherishi wokumisa noma yiluphi uhlobo lomthethosivivinywa wezinguquko, kuhlanganise nalawo okukhishwa kwezisu kokwelapha. Le nhlangano egcwele amaKhatholika ayizange inabele kweyamakholwa kakhudlwana esiyaziyo kwaze kwaba ngasekupheleni kwawo-70 nasekuqaleni kwawo-80, lapho abavangeli bamaProthestani beqala ukungena khona. Ngo-1978, uJerry Falwell washumayela intshumayelo yakhe yokuqala yokukhipha isisu; ngemva konyaka, iMoral Majority eyayisanda kumiswa yabeka ukukhishwa kwezisu phezulu ohlwini lwayo lwezinhlupho zezwe zesintu. Ngemuva kweminyaka emibili, uRonald Reagan waba ngowokuqala ukungenela ukhetho lukamongameli emlandweni wase-US ukungenela inkundla yeqembu eyayigxeka ukukhishwa kwezisu. Eminyakeni eyishumi nambili eyalandela, inhlangano emelene nokukhetha yahlasela ukwesaba kwamantombazane asakhula, yathola imithetho yemvume yabazali ezifundazweni eziningi. Ithole izinkundla zomphakathi zokuguqulela abantu kanye nokwethusa, ngezambulo ze-ersatz “zesayensi” mayelana nempilo yokucabangela yombungu. Futhi, njengoba amasosha evutha bhe ngeminyaka yawo-1980s, uphiko olukude olungakwesokudla lwaphenduka imitholampilo enodlame—eludlame kanye nokuqhumisa amabhomu, lushaya abesifazane, futhi lubulala odokotela.

 

Ukuphendukela kobuphekula akuzange kuyisebenzele kahle inhlangano. Abantu baseMelika bahoxile odlameni kanye nenhlangano “ejwayelekile” yokulwela ukuphila eyenqaba ukuyigxeka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba amabutho aphikisana nokuzikhethela aphumelele ukwenza kube nzima ngabesifazane namantombazane ukukhipha izisu (kuyaziwa ukuthi kunezindawo eNtshonalanga lapho owesifazane kufanele ashayele khona amakhilomitha angu-600 ukuze akhiphe isisu), azizange zenze imbobo endaweni. Amaphesenti angama-60 nangaphezulu abantu baseMelika abasekela ukukhishwa kwezisu okusemthethweni.

 

Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yawo-90, abanye osomaqhinga belungelo lokuphila baqala ukucinga umlayezo othambile, "olungele abesifazane". Baxube inkulumo-ze endala yokuvikela izingane ezisanda kuzalwa nezimangalo ezintsha zokuvikela abesifazane: kusukela ekucindezelweni kozakwethu besilisa abangenangqondo abanobugovu ukuba bacabangele ububaba, kusukela ekuqineni kwabantu besifazane, kanye nasekucindezelekeni “kanye nesifo sangemva kokukhipha isisu” okuthiwa silandela. Encwadini ethi The American Prospect ngo-Okthoba odlule, uSiegel noSarah Blustain babike ukuthi, eNingizimu Dakota, leli qhinga lahlolwa kanjani ngosizo lwesishayamthetho esizimisele sezwe elibomvu esaxhasa ithimba elisebenza ngokuhushula izisu. Ithimba lakhipha umbiko onamakhasi angama-70 ngo-2006 owawungumfushane ovela emaqenjini aphikisana nokuzikhethela: Inhloso yawo kwakuwukukhombisa ukuthi abesifazane abafuna ukukhipha izisu babengazazi izingqondo zabo nokuthi nakanjani bazolinyazwa ngesenzo esiphula umthetho. ubuhlobo phakathi kwabo nengane yabo. Lo mbiko waholela emthethweni onzima waseNingizimu Dakota owenza ukukhipha isisu, ngaphandle kokusindisa ukuphila kukamama, okuyicala kodokotela. Abavoti bawuchitha lo mthetho ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva. Okushaqisayo, nokho, ukuthi ingqondo nesayensi-mbumbulu ngemuva kwakho kwasinda ukuze kwaziwe umbono kaKennedy ecaleni elithi Gonzales v. Carhart.

 

Ukuze uqonde ukuthi isinqumo seNkantolo sibi kangakanani, awudingi ukubheka ukuphikiswa okunamandla nokucacile kukaJustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. UGinsburg uphawula ukubuyisela kukaKennedy “emibonweni yasendulo ngendawo yabesifazane emndenini nangaphansi koMthethosisekelo.” Esitatimendeni sikaKennedy mayelana nokuqina okungokomthetho “kwesibopho sothando umama anaso ngengane yakhe,” uzwa enanela yesinqumo seNkantolo sika-1908 ecaleni lika-Muller v. Oregon sokuthi imithetho yezabasebenzi yabesifazane kufanele iqondiswe “ekukhishweni okufanele komama wakhe. imisebenzi.” Ekucabangeni kweNkantolo ngendima yokuba umbonisi onomusa womqondo wowesifazane okhulelwe—okumvimbela ekwenzeni “isinqumo esinzima kangaka”–ulalela ukuzwakala kwecala lango-1873 u-Bradwell v. Illinois, owagomela ngokuthi “isiphetho esibalulekile kanye nomsebenzi owesifazane kufanele afeze izikhundla ezihloniphekile nezihloniphekile zamakhosikazi nomama. "

 

U-Ginsburg uzazi ngokuseduze lezo zinqumo, ngoba wanikela ingxenye enkulu yomsebenzi wakhe eqeda imibono ababeyibeke emthethweni mayelana nemvelo yabesifazane yasekhaya nomama, amandla abo alinganiselwe okusebenza emhlabeni, kanye nesidingo sabo sokugadwa nokuqondiswa. Ngawo-'70s, wasiza ekuholeni uguquko lwezomthetho ukuze ahlehlise imikhawulo eyaphusha abesifazane esimweni sezinga lesibili. Yilokhu kuqondwa kwencazelo yoMthethosisekelo lapho uGinsburg azizwa ephoqelekile ukuba akhumbule ozakwabo: “Le Nkantolo isiqinisekise kaningi ukuthi isiphetho sowesifazane kufanele silolongelwe … ngombono wakhe siqu mayelana nezidingo zakhe zomoya kanye nendawo yakhe emphakathini.” UJustice Kennedy kanye nozakwabo abane babonisa ukungabi nandaba okujulile kulowo mlando ovelele. Manje owesifazane owazala uzwela nenhlonipho ngezinqumo zakhe ezinzima uphathwa njengomuntu omncane odinga ukuhlakanipha okukhulu komthetho ukuze amhoxise eweni.

 

 

U-CHRISTINE STANSELL unguSolwazi wakwa-Edward Womlando waseMelika ePrinceton University. Ubhala umlando wobufazi. 

---