Shila Behjat Essay on Women's Bodies and Feminism Published in Der Freitag

In an essay for the German weekly Der Freitag, author Shila Behjat examines how women's bodies are publicly discussed and judged. The piece opens by noting that a US politician, considered a possible presidential candidate, made her reproductive plans public and was promptly blamed by American conservatives for declining birth rates. Behjat argues this reaction reveals a deeper pattern: women's bodies — their upper arms, bottoms, bellies, breasts, weight, wrinkles and wombs — are constantly scrutinized rather than their thoughts, feelings, words and decisions. When women themselves speak about their bodies, the essay contends, the subject shifts. Topics such as menstruation, miscarriage, childbirth, infertility, menopause, the postpartum period, desire, wanting no children, wanting children desperately, and loving or hating pregnancy quickly become niche issues. The essay distinguishes its opening 'we' from the vague collective voice typical of opinion journalism. The article appears in the current issue of Der Freitag and is available in full to readers.