What this debate shows us is that even in this day and age, the rights of women are not inalienable. Our rights can be and are, with alarming regularity, stripped away. I struggle to accept that my body is a legislative matter. The truth of this fact makes it difficult for me to breathe. I don't feel like I have inalienable rights. I don't feel free. I don't feel like my body is my own.
In her essay from "Bad Feminist," Roxane Gay highlights the ongoing struggle for women's rights and how they remain vulnerable to legislative changes. She expresses concern that women's rights, which should be inherent and untouchable, are often eroded, leaving many to feel their autonomy is compromised. This illustrates a troubling reality where women's bodies become subjects of political debate rather than personal domains.
Gay poignantly captures her disillusionment with the notion of inalienable rights, stating that such freedoms can be stripped away with alarming frequency. She reveals the emotional toll this reality takes on her, as she grapples with the fact that her body is subject to legislation. This sensation of being trapped, coupled with the feeling of not having ownership over her own body, underscores a deeper societal issue regarding women's liberation and autonomy.
