Stanek weekend Q: Thoughts on pregnancy tests in bars?
Click to enlarge…
Pro-abortion writer Robin Marty thinks there must be a “better way” to remind sexually active imbibing women of a sobering fact:
A new campaign to offer pregnancy tests in bar restrooms in Alaska has the same “facetious” issue, with a photo implying that drinking alcohol goes straight to the fetus in your belly. While fetal alcohol syndrome campaigns are laudable, and yay for free condoms at the bar to help with unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, surely we have to have a better way to get the message across?
To clarify, the state is offering free pregnancy tests, dispensed when pushing the button at the bottom of the poster. (Next to the poster are obligatory free condoms.)
Why would anyone have a problem with such a campaign advocating responsible drinking of the fetal kind? Could it be that these are not so subtle reminders that women may be drinking for two?
Your thoughts? Take the poll…
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Seems like a perfectly reasonable public health initiative to me. I really don’t have much to add.
LIke any woman getting drunk in a bar and hooking up with men will give a flip if she is pregnant or not? I don’t know…I feel like they will probably hope the binge drinking might give them an early abortion.
I voted for “great idea,” but it’s subliminally pro-life too!
“LIke any woman getting drunk in a bar and hooking up with men will give a flip if she is pregnant or not?”
Many women meet their husbands in bars or at house parties — at least in Wisconsin! Unfortunately, few of these women (and probably fewer yet of the men) remain virgins until their wedding nights.
I made many mistakes in regards to alcohol and men, but once I found out I was pregnant, alcohol was off limits.
I for one think it’s judgemental to assume those who enjoy casual relationships- or are just irresponsible or unable to have committed relationships- and those who enjoy drinking at bars- or are uncontrollable drunks- will immediately not care if they are pregnant or not.
You have to remember that people you don’t relate to are people still. They are complex, they have morals and values and thoughts and feelings. Their morality isn’t a straight line where being okay with one thing deemed “bad” or irresponsible means that every other bad thig aligns with it.
A person who is at a bar hoping to get drunk or laid or both may very well be worried if they are pregnant. They might not have considered the possibility, and maybe a sign like that could make them realize “hey, the condom DID slip a few weeks ago” or “you know, I am a few days late”. Even if the signs and tests do nothing, maybe they have been personally affected by FAS or developmental disabilities. Maybe they have children at home whom they love and want the best for. Maybe they don’t have any connection but still think it’s best to steer clear of drinking while possibly pregnant.
What I’m getting at is, I think this is a smart resource, both the condoms and the pregnancy tests. But regardless of whether they are affected, one’s desire to be drunk or have sex does not determine whether they will “want to binge drink to have an early abortion” or whether they are the type of mom to drink while pregnant.
Those stereotypes are shaming those who engage in personal activities like these. It is minimizing the conversation about FAS and solutions by outing the issue into the framework of, “THESE actions are bad and THESE people are just that type and THEY are at fault” but these people over here are fine and have no role in this problem.
Yeah…sorry Megan but I disagree with you. From my experience in my younger and stupider days women in bars are not looking for motherhood. Most of the women I encounter these days seeking abortions are pregnant as a result of falling for the hookup culture–casual sex with a guy who cares nothing for them or the child they create. Most of these girls are smoking as they walk to the clinic, a few brag about having had a bender the night before or telling me they’re still hung over.
Maybe there would be a woman here and there that would actually take the test, find out she is pregnant and choose not to drink but again–from my experience, this is not the norm.
Why would anyone have a problem with such a campaign advocating responsible drinking of the fetal kind? Could it be that these are not so subtle reminders that women may be drinking for two
No. Marty said that there must be a “better way” than using an anatomical drawing connecting the mouth to the uterus, in the wake of a legislator asking whether a gynecological exam could be conducted by having a woman swallow a camera. (He later claimed that he knew it couldn’t be.) Jill, you obviously knew what Marty meant, because you cut out the sentence at the beginning of the paragraph where she drew the connection. Asking your readers why someone might have a problem with the campaign while omitting her objection to the picture constitutes a lie by omission. You like to quote the Bible. Does it say anything about lying?
Sydney and Praxades, just FYI: not every woman drinking in a bar is trying to hook up with a man. Sometimes married couples–even ones who were virgins when they married–go to a bar and drink together. And neither marriage nor premarital chastity prevent fetal alcohol syndrome.
“From my experience in my younger and stupider days women in bars are not looking for motherhood.”
From my experience, different bars have different atmospheres. Chesterton said, “Every time a man knocks on a brothel door, he is really searching for God.”
“Most of the women I encounter these days seeking abortions are pregnant as a result of falling for the hookup culture”
Women who are happily married, are trying for a baby with their husbands and who have made good decisions are not abortion-minded.
“just FYI”
You make some very good points. It might be the pregnant woman who you don’t see drinking in public who is getting sloshed at home. I know that people who hang in taverns often portray themselves as someone other than who they really are. Of course, people who don’t frequent bars put on facades too.
Praxades—yes I agree with you there. Different bars do have different atmospheres.
LisaC–where did I say that all women at bars are looking to hook up? I said most women at bars are not looking for motherhood. I would still stand by that statement. Again, notice I didn’t say ALL, I said MOST.
When I was younger and dating my husband he did sound at a bar/music venue. I wasn’t there to hook up with any random guys. I didn’t even drink a lot (I’m not much of a drinker. One drink that I’d nurse all night). But I would people watch. A lot of girls WERE there to hook up with guys. A lot of guys WERE there to hook up with girls. But as Prax said, different bars have different atmospheres. This one was definitely a meat market type bar.