Religion, Spiritual Activism, Feminism, Reproductive Justice
The concept of reproductive privilege is central to the proper interpretation of Amy Everhart's poem "Accidents." In fact, one may successfully argue that Everhart's poem is actually about reproductive privilege and her dearth of such a privilege because she is homosexual. The concept of reproductive privilege refers to the fact that some people -- based on their sexual proclivities -- are able to reproduce within nature, whereas other people are not able to do so. Specifically, heterosexual people are able to reproduce when they have sex with one another, while homosexual people are not able to bear children when they have sex.
Heterosexism, therefore, greatly supports this notion of reproductive privilege for the simple fact that reproduction requires heterosexual activity. What is most interesting about Everhart's poem is the fact that this privilege, like all privileges, is abused by some and denied to others. The poet spends the majority of this work of literature discussing her love for another woman and their inability to create children (conceivably from this love). As such, they are excluded from the privilege of reproducing when they have sex. The counterpart to this aspect of the poem is suggested by the title, and is alluded to in a reference to a young man and his interaction with a woman named "Amanda" (Everhart, 2012).
It is fairly obvious from the author's writing that this pair is having a child that they did not intend to create. The poet actually refers to this child as "an accident" with "a face" (Everhart, 2012). The fact that the baby created by this pair was accidental implies that they are abusing the notion of reproductive privilege which their heterosexual activity enables. The poet envies this privilege which is made possible when a man has sex with a woman.
Shaw and Lee have elucidated a number of ways in which women of faith...
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