First The Death Panels, Now Scare Tactics Over Breast Cancer
Posted by Michelle Moquin on November 20th, 2009
I called my mother last night and we immediately got into a conversation about the debate happening over mammogram screening. We both spoke passionately as we discussed how women’s health always seems to be the subject of debate, and when will women’s health be given the priority and importance that is given to men’s health.
After a few minutes, she said how it has been this way for so many years. She couldn’t understand why abortion was made legal, and yet with every new president, abortion comes up again in debate. “Control mom,” I said. “Men want to have control over women. We need women and men to continually stand up for women’s rights and issues.” She just sighed and said, “I got so upset with so-in-so the other day when she told her daughter who is 6 years old, and so independent and intelligent, that her father was the boss of the house, and not her.” (the mother). Then she said, “What is wrong with some of the women in this country who listen to these men, don’t think for themselves, and teach their daughters to do the same thing? I smiled to myself. I love it when my mother is so right on.
One of the things that I love about my mother is her directness, and her honesty. One of the things that I dislike about my mother is her directness and her honesty. :) This was obviously one of those times that I loved it.
Then she asked me if I felt that I would see women reach equality in my lifetime. ‘In my lifetime.’ Those words felt so disheartening for some reason. I didn’t want to even think that this kind of change would take years, not to mention a ‘lifetime’, when I feel that so many women are fighting for change to happen NOW. I wondered if their mothers had asked them the same question.
I realized that for me the fighting has just begun. Yet for many, the fight has been going on for years, at a time when I was just still too young…still too naive, thinking that women were already considered equal. And when I had been shown that we were not considered equal, that we were still considered second class, I had yet to discover just how powerful women could be when we came together in support of each other.
I said to my mother that we must continue daily to take our place of equality and accept nothing less.
So this brings me back to my topic: Mammogram screening. Some of you blogged about it yesterday. Thanks Anna and Evelyn for posting your finds. Here’s me two on the subject:
Once again, the republicans are up to no good. Their one last ditch effort to scare women over breast cancer is truly abhorrent. First it was death panels. Now they are breeding fear by playing to women’s confused and anxiety ridden emotions, about the latest news in mammogram screening, trying to sell us the notion that health care reform means ‘rationed care’, where the government will value cost containment over saving a small incremental number of lives. Don’t believe it. This debate over the efficacy of mammograms for women between 40-50 has been going on for years but the republicans are bringing it to light as if it is something new, as if this has never been a topic of discussion….just to scare women.
“The US Preventative Task Force, recommended that women between 40-50 no longer needed annual mammograms and did not need to do self exams.”
So what. On a side note let me guess…is this task force mostly men? Because I don’t think many women would push to get less care for prevention of a disease that is second to skin cancer in killing women. Here’s the latest from the Breast Cancer Society:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.
The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
Let me repeat: ’Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment.’ Are they trying to prevent me from finding cancer early and getting better treatment? Are they trying to having control over my own health…my own body? Let me make the decision whether I want a mammogram or no longer need one for now. Let me do a self examination if I feel the need. Let me be in control of my body.
I know of at least 3 girlfriends who have had breast cancer in their 40′s. Yearly mammography screening should be a woman’s choice and it should be supported by our health care system. Period.
“The US Preventative Task Force informs us that radiation risk is higher in younger women and it is critical that women know this so that they can make an informed choice.”
Great – thank you for the info – now allow me to make an informed choice for myself. Don’t take away my right for care.
Breathe girls. Thankfully, the task force has no jurisdiction over setting health care policy or insurance rates. As I said, this is just another republican scare tactic.
‘Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius wisely announced that government insurance policies would continue to cover mammograms in this age group so if there is any evidence of some sinister plot to ration health care you cannot be clearer than the HHS Secretary disavowing the panel’s policy.’
In spite of the fact that while the health reform legislation that is before Congress may indeed severely and unfortunately curtail a women’s right to choose, – thanks to those that voted for the Stupak Amendment, what health reform does do for women’s health is huge:
‘It ends the decades long practice of discriminating against women with their health care coverage. Insurers in most states are permitted to consider gender when determining both individual and group rates and therefore women are frequently charged much more than men for premiums. www.nwlc.org. Moreover, a C-section can be viewed as a “pre-existing condition” and insurers can now refuse to pay for future C-sections or deny a woman who has had a prior C-section from health coverage entirely. Equally abhorrent, in eight states and in the District of Columbia, insurers can legally deny a woman’s health insurance application if she has been the victim of domestic violence. All these discriminatory practices will be corrected in the health care reform legislation.’
What is it with these republicans? Once again, they’ll jump aboard any topic and do whatever is necessary to gain control, and take down this administration. Yes, and at the expense of women by politicizing an incredibly important emotional and health issue for women.
Readers: The republican’s disingenuous nature is showing face once again. Do you honestly think that they are really that concerned about women’s health and issues, when they fought so hard against health care reform?
*************
It is my early day today so I’m out of here. I’ll address those that I want to address tomorrow -
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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November 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Michelle
Don’t you ever bother to check your blog? If you are not getting any comments perhaps you should try entering one yourself or as Doug to try to find out what is going on.
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November 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Evelyn
It is the organized presentation of religion by men that has subordinated the thinking of women. We are consciously told and subconsciously reminded on a daily basis that God is a male and that we should be content to play a subordinate role to that man.
As long as women support and worship at the alters of cults like the catholic church, islam, mormon, and other protestant entities that hold up man as the supreme leader we and our daughters will never have the will to see ourselves as equal to a man.
I was a devote catholic. But I no longer take my two girls or my son to that cult preaching male dominance. I feel it is just as bad for my son because it indoctrinates him into believing that a man is more privileged that a woman.
Evelyn
November 21st, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Michelle
What is wrong with your blog? Whenever I tried to submit a comment clicking on submit sent me to your donation page.
Mary