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Thanks for sharing this, PJ! I think that you are right that many feminists are taking the “don’t get pregnant” warnings in Latin America in that way – as a way to once again control women’s bodies. I saw this article http://www.damemagazine.com/2016/02/03/three-letter-word-missing-zika-virus-warnings
linked to on the feminist philosophers blog, articulating a similar perspective.
I have to agree with you, though, that it’s a bit glib to frame the Zika warnings as yet another attempt by the patriarchy to control women’s bodies. In fact, I think that even the more sophisticated critique in the article that you share from the BMJ Journal of Medical Ethics blog, although making an interesting point, also misses the main problem. The author’s perspective on these Zika warnings, as I understand it, is that these warnings don’t take into account the conditions under which many women in Latin America conceive – namely, without reliable access to birth control and even in conditions of pervasive sexual violence where birth control cannot be effectively used – especially because of significant restrictions on access to abortion, even in the case of rape.
While these things are true, I wonder what feminists who want to use Zika as an opportunity to lobby for improved reproductive rights for women in Latin America (and other parts of the world where Zika is now endemic) really expect from the governments in question. For, as feminists have noted, these restrictions are in place largely because of widespread cultural adherence to conservative catholicism. This means that democratically elected officials enact laws that they believe are in accordance with the good and even the desires of the people who elected them. In other words, what I am saying is how do feminists expect Latin American governments to overturn the cultural Catholicism of their politicians and voters? And can they be expected to do so just because of Zika?
I would like to add that where I live in Colombia, the municipal officials in our town are asking all couples who have sex to do so under a mosquito net. This is both a bit ridiculous and more in line with gender equality, thus exceeding the problematic assumption that governments are once again holding only women responsible for reproduction and procreation.
But really, what do we expect from our public health officials? To not give any recommendations and hope that this is really nothing and will blow over? I agree that increased access to birth control would be coherent and ideal, but to accomplish this is more than a question of rights and resources – it is also an issue of culture.
Also, at least here, they are recommending that couples hold off until July until more is known about what is now only a possible link between the virus and the microcephaly birth defect (and other related birth defects) – when during pregnancy it might affect the fetus, how many times a woman might need to be affected, etc.
The idea that Latin American governments are recommending that couples try to avoid getting pregnant for a few months, or in rare cases, several years, has really interesting bioethical implications that are not really being discussed. For example, if that were even possible, what would be the impact on the population of Latin America?
Here in Colombia many alternative theories or even conspiracy theories are circulating, including the idea that this virus was created (or cultivated) by the global North as an insidious form of birth control for the global South.
Thanks for sharing these thoughtful observations, Rachel. My title was indeed glib and, furthermore, something of a misrepresentation — my morning coffee, perhaps, not having quite kicked in — as the article was more about governments giving paternalistic advice to women than exerting direct legislative control, which (I guess?) is not quite as bad.
And yes, your comments on the central role of culture seem entirely on the mark.