If men were equally at risk from this condition -- if they knew their bellies might swell as if they were suffering from end-stage cirrhosis, that they would have to go nearly a year without a stiff drink, a cigarette, or even an aspirin, that they would be subject to fainting spells and unable to fight their way onto commuter trains -- then I am sure that pregnancy would be classified as a sexually transmitted disease and abortions would be no more controversial than emergency appendectomies.

Summary

This quote, by American author and feminist activist Barbara Ehrenreich, examines the concept of pregnancy and highlights how societal attitudes might change if men experienced the physical and lifestyle restrictions associated with it. By suggesting that pregnancy would be classified as a sexually transmitted disease, the quote challenges the hypocrisy and controversies surrounding reproductive rights. It challenges the imbalance in societal perceptions by drawing attention to the different ways in which pregnancies and other medical conditions are discussed and responded to.

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