Maintaining bodily autonomy as a woman with a disability

Jane Hash at Redondo Beach

As a woman with a significant physical disability, I have always had to fight for bodily autonomy. Healthcare policies that govern how Medicaid dollars are spent in providing home care to people like me attempt to dictate how often I can use the toilet, take a bath, eat a home cooked meal and leave my house. This is a battle I fight constantly. When I say “constantly” I mean, I have regular meetings with lawyers to maintain my right to choose who helps me change my pads/tampons and all the other personal things I need assistance with.

As a woman with a significant physical disability, I am at greater risk for being sexually assaulted than non-disabled women…especially if my chosen Caregivers are taken away from me. This is a scary reality that has just become scarier because of all the anti-abortion laws being passed across the country. If this trend continues and I was impregnated by rape, I could be victimized a second time by being denied an abortion.

As a woman with a significant physical disability, I am seriously pissed off. I am pissed off that our government is trying to control all of my bodily functions and strip me of all bodily autonomy. I am pissed off that people who have no idea what my daily struggles and health concerns are think they are more qualified to decide what is best for me than I am. More than anything, I am pissed off that I am pissed off because I have a pretty awesome life and I’d like to spend more time enjoying it instead of constantly fighting.