I cannot stop thinking about this article!!
She Used Drugs While Pregnant. Should She Be in Prison? After having a stillbirth, Adora Perez was charged with murder. by Cecilia Nowell via The Cut.
No quote or section I post will properly encapsulate this story, but here are random thoughts in no particular order:
Drug addiction is definitely a disease. However, millions of people ignore their health needs - including treating addiction. This pandemic showed and reminded that, hmmm passivity?, and then some.
Babies/children are whole, complete humans and not a key or inspiration for sobriety.
Where is the nobility in continuing to bear children you cannot care for?
Have all the sex you want! But, use contraception! The fuck?!
District Attorneys actually saying charges like these on mothers like the subject are not “politically motivated” is atrocious. You are literally an elected official. As a wise friend said, “Apolitical stances are stances in favor of oppression when you’re in a position of power.”
How some addicts will reach sobriety only because they are incarcerated is super fucking sad. And actually, hardly true - there are plenty of illicit drugs everywhere, including prisons.
Anything else I have to say has been more astutely said by activists and others working for universal child care, guaranteed income, and reproductive justice.
God Bless these kids.
