Women’s Freedom Jeopardized in Western World

In Denmark, we are partial to letting conversations drift to the subject of pessimistic and reactionary Muslims, who rob women of their freedom and opportunities, and place them in a medieval darkness in terms of gender equality. But in reality there’s a mounting danger that we’re overlooking: the mix of religion and politics that is going on right now in the Western hemisphere, right under our noses.

We are dealing with extremists as well, but not the Muslim kind. On the contrary, they are typical white male evangelicals, Catholics and Mormons, who march forward with the Republican elephant and the tea party movement at the primaries in the U.S., and talk about “less state, lower taxes and more freedom.” But not for women.

When it comes to women’s freedom, they will stop at nothing — Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney will deprive women of the right to their own life choices. Not only are abortions proscribed at debates and in TV spots, but also contraception and family planning as a means to secure women’s opportunity to decide their own future about whether or not to have a flock of children to care for.

And you can safely start shuddering, as it was only a few years ago that the Bush administration implemented that exact policy in the poorest countries of the world. With the message “abstinence only” Bush, in alliance with the pope in Rome, deprived charities of financial aid to distribute condoms, even in areas with high HIV rates, despite the fact that “just say no” has never been documented to be effective or beneficial as a form of contraception.

It was completely different in 1960, when for the first time the Democrats nominated a Catholic for the presidential election. While John F. Kennedy publicly disassociated himself, in leaflets and speeches, from mixing politics and his personal beliefs were he to become president, the current Republican candidates do everything precisely in order to merge politics and religion.

The presidential candidate Rick Santorum directly attacked the notion of separation of church and state. On Sunday, Feb. 26, he made himself clear in an interview with ABC news that “The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country.”

While it is obvious that, as a politician, you are certainly entitled to your personal belief, it should be clear for all, both in the U.S. and in Denmark, that religion must not mean that you force your beliefs on others and impose certain religious rituals — such as female circumcision — or in any way compel people to have a certain lifestyle.

All over the world young women die as a result of illegal abortions because access to safe contraception and, in emergency cases, safe abortion, has been made impossible by the pope and religious fundamentalist politics. And unfortunately, you don’t have to venture far outside Denmark’s borders for these kinds of policies to show themselves. Also in Europe, countries like Poland, Ireland and Malta, together with the Vatican, force women to take unnecessary risks with their lives.

So as we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, it is important to remind each other just how much blood, sweat and tears it took for Denmark, on Oct. 1, 1973, to implement free abortion through the 12th week of pregnancy, and sexual health education in schools. And how important it is that we still defend this freedom, not just in Denmark, but in the rest of the world as well. Here in the Western world, we have a unique responsibility to walk in front and fly the flag. I do this every time I meet someone with a pessimistic and reactionary outlook on life, no matter where in the world the person may be and no matter the reason for his belief. Hereby I pass on the challenge!