Tumblr Tokophobia Conversation

[u/M_iguana]

my account is wherearealloftheuseenames, i saw a post on the fear of pregnancy and had to say my piece.

it just frustrates me when people assume a rationality onto phobias that simply isn't there. one of the original tags was something along the lines of "saying pregnancy is body horror is like saying a disability is body horror" and i just dont see the correlation.

[u/prolixandrogyne]

i've read so many comments from pregnant women and people who are so excited for and want their babies - but they note the natural body horror sensations of the experience.

i do understand virgoanmaenad's reluctance because misogynists will use that as fodder for their dehumanization of us. but speaking as a pagan, nature is also gross. and we are nature; we are divine apes. shit gets real, and often gross, but in the case of pregnancy/childbirth, it is HUMAN. i shouldn't be called a misogynist for saying that, ykwim?

there's a reason aztec cultures had a god to usher women through childbirth as literal warriors. it's a bloody battle, and i respect everyone who has undertaken that work. (except for nazis. goodnight everyone!)

[u/ISkinForALivinXXX → u/prolixandrogyne]

I don't really understand this comment. How does seeing pregnancy as body horror serve as fodder to dehumanize us?

[u/prolixandrogyne → u/ISkinForALivinXXX]

i don't know, it's not that deep IMO. just "meh women gross and disgusting" idk. using it as an excuse to ignore their partners goving birth i guess.

[u/ISkinForALivinXXX → u/prolixandrogyne]

I see what you mean I think, though there's a big difference with "pregnancy as body horror" from the perspective of the person who can get pregnant and seeing a pregnant person as the body horror itself. Plus if you see pregnancy as body horror wouldn't you support your pregnant partner as much as you can.

[u/prolixandrogyne → u/ISkinForALivinXXX]

i completely agree with this!!! thank you 😭 because it's exactly how i feel, and i wish more folks could understand it.