In this
blog post, I will be discussing the differences in “Choice” and “Rights” in regards
to adoption in 1945-1973. In Chapter 3
of Solingers book, she talked a lot about how society viewed unwed pregnant
women. She discussed and provided many
stories given to her from women that placed their children up for adoption, due
to the social stigma’s that surrounded the situation that these women found
themselves in. The stories provided by
these birth-mothers displayed a situation that most felt forced into and most if
not all of these women, felt as if they lost a part of themselves the day they
were forced to give up their child.
In the
last pages of chapter 3, Solinger talks about choice. She stated, “Worst yet for these women, “Choice”
was integrated so smoothly and completely into the lifestyle perquisites of
contemporary (white, middle-class) women” (pg. 98). I think what she was trying to portray here
was that the word choice was used as justification for the actions of the
government, parents, doctors, etc. during this time frame. Since all the girls/women signed the release
forms so that their child could be adopted, even if it was sometimes forced
upon them. Society in later decades
would say that these women had a “choice” in giving up their child or relinquished
their children as stated within the book.
This as a matter of fact was not the case. These women were threatened by those closest
to them, made out to psychologically disturbed, and were thought of as unfit to
be mothers (pgs. 69-71). In other words,
the supposed “choice” they posed in the lights of their pregnancies was swayed
to please those around them. Therefore,
the "choices" these women were making were no longer their own.
The
reason that Solinger prefers the terminology of “rights” is because a right is
something no one can take away or argue.
A women has a choice to keep her child, but a person’s choice can be
easily be manipulated into someone else’s choice. A “right” is permanent and something that is thought
of as universal (generally).
Lisa Ritzer
GRADED REPLY #2
ReplyDeleteI found your take on the difference between “choice” and “right” very enlightening. I discussed this question in my own blog, but I did not think of some of the larger, societal implications of using “choice” instead of “right”. You made an excellent point when you said, “the word ‘choice’ was used as justification for the actions of the government, parents, doctors, etc.” It is true; in many of the situations discussed in Solinger’s work the authority figures in the birthmother’s life were using the word “choice” to almost excuse their actions. These people were controlling the birthmothers’ lives, but at least they could save face and say that they gave them a “choice”. I think the birthmother quoted in Solinger’s book saying, “The agency, society, those with money had won” captured the turmoil these adults caused for these women by not respecting their rights perfectly (Solinger, pg.76).
I also agree with your view on rights, especially after our discussion in class. I think you interpreted the reasoning for Solinger’s preference for the word “right” correctly when you said, “a right is something no one can take away or argue.” I did not think of it this way, but this is very true. A choice can be made to seem like an independent decision while in reality it has been manipulated by those around the decision maker, but a right is, in your words, permanent.
I greatly enjoyed reading your opinion on the same question that I had also discussed. It is always intriguing to see how someone else picks up on so many clues that I missed in a reading, it helps me to gain more understanding of the text. Thank you for your insight.
Julie Thurmes