Mary Rose Somarriba

Mary Rose Somarriba is a writer, editor, and speaker with over a decade of experience in publishing and facilitating timely cultural discussions.
Verily •

'Black Widow' Highlights the Tragedy of Forced Sterilization

We heard it referenced in Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johannson) told Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) that she could never conceive children because her tyrannical spy/warrior training program in Russia forced sterilization on its members. “In the Red Room where I was trained... where I was raised, they have a graduation ceremony. They sterilize you. It's efficient. One less thing to worry about. The one thing that might matter more than a mission. . . "
Verily •

Britney Spears Speaks Out on Coercive IUD, Working Conditions, and Putting on a Smile for Social Media

Britney Spears alleged in a court hearing this week a significant amount of coercion at the hands of her conservators, including her father Jamie Spears. Spears’ strict guardianship-type arrangement, which has been in place since her mental breakdown over a decade ago, received widespread attention for its unfairness after Hulu aired “Framing Britney Spears” . . .
The Human Life Review •

The Little Discussed But High Blood Clot Risk of Hormonal Birth Control

In April, the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine received scrutiny after six women experienced a rare blood clot condition, causing the United States to pause its distribution “out of an abundance of caution.” Immediately, some trying to downplay the risk compared the J&J vaccine to hormonal birth control. While the type of blood clot apparently caused by the J&J vaccine and those caused by birth control are different types of clots, I couldn’t help but wonder if the comparisons to birth control . . .
USA Today •

I was pressured for wanting my at-risk baby. Abortion and eugenics can't be separated.

Recently, the head of Planned Parenthood acknowledged the racist and eugenic beliefs of its founder, Margaret Sanger, and stated that the organization is working to undo the damage these views have caused. I applaud Alexis McGill Johnson for openly discussing the ugly origins of Planned Parenthood, but completely disagree that the organization is capable of stopping what Sanger started. Eugenic motives are still alive and well in the abortion- and contraceptive-providing business, of which Planned Parenthood is a leader.
The Human Life Review •

State Laws are Targeting Eugenic Abortion

Abortion is often referenced today in the context of the healthcare of the mother. Despite the fact that, as groups like Live Action have persuasively pointed out, abortion is never necessary for the health of the mother (early labor might be needed, and the fetus may not survive, but intentionally ending the life of the preborn child in the womb is never medically necessary), hearing Planned Parenthood’s “abortion is healthcare” mantra on repeat has led many to accept the thinking that . . .
Verily •

I Have a Wanted Pregnancy, And Yet I’ve Received Pressure to Un-Want It

I am a happy mom to four kids—three already born and one on the way. As a fourth born myself, it is a special pregnancy for me, even if one of my least favorites in the nausea department. Some of the greatest gifts I’ve received in life are my siblings, and so I’m thrilled to be able to add another for my kids. This pregnancy was not a “mistake.” So I was frustrated when I attended my latest pregnancy ultrasound and a doctor pressed me to doubt my own desire or capability to add this latest person to my family.
Natural Womanhood •

The FDA Approved the Clue App for Contraceptive Use. Here's What That Means.

Earlier this month, the FDA announced it cleared another cycle charting app for contraceptive use—this time it is the app called Clue Birth Control. In 2018, the FDA cleared the app Natural Cycles to be marketed as a medical device for contraceptive use, and many wonder if this is the dawn of FemTech possibilities, offering hope to women who are sick of birth control side effects yet still want reliable contraception. But there are some important clarifications . . .
Verily •

Let’s Stop Acting Like ‘Sex Work’ Is Empowering

When referring to “sex work,” most people are referring to work in commercial sexualized content, along the lines of pornography production or stripping. “Sex trafficking,” in the United States, is defined as to any commercial sex act with a minor, or any commercial sex act involving force, fraud, or coercion. So how do we differentiate between what is often billed as so-called reputable “sex work” and disreputable “sex trafficking”?
Verily •

Our Awkward Semantics About When Life Begins—And What It Means For Women’s Health Care

A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynecology found that half of the gynecologist-obstetricians surveyed believe that life begins when the sperm meets the egg, that is, the moment of conception. “One-half of US obstetrician-gynecologists (57%) believe pregnancy begins at conception. Fewer (28%) believe it begins at implantation, and 16% are not sure,” the results stated.
Verily •

Netflix’s ‘Cuties’ Didn’t Have to Participate in Exploitation to Expose It

I love the idea of media and film putting social ills like sexualization in a critical view, so typically I’d be intrigued by a storyline like that of Netflix’s Cuties—which follows an eleven-year-old Senegalese immigrant girl as she navigates the meaning of her femininity and seeks acceptance among her peers in a hypersexualized culture. However, as I watched clips of the film circulate on social media, I had to pause to consider whether I could view it.
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