#MeToo for the Labor Room

Relying on the previous discussion, this chapter argues that the epistemic blind spots that prevented (and, often, still prevent) the recognition of sexual violence as violence are often the same ones that hinder the recognition of obstetric oppressive practices as violence. It argues that there is therefore a need for a #MeToo for childbirth, radically modifying the epistemic paradigms employed so far. This modification must precede any question of consent. Vaginal examinations during childbirth are addressed as a special case of obstetric violence, in which women frequently lack the epistemic resources necessary to recognize the practice as violent not only because of the inherent difficulty of recognizing violence in an “essentially benevolent” setting but mainly due to women’s pervasive sexual reification under patriarchy and the pervasive shame they are subjected to. The idea of the subject as essentially unified and transparent to itself is then challenged, defying the assumption that subjects can clearly and unproblematically provide consent while birthing. This chapter draws on various feminist theories of sexual violence, including those of Linda M. Alcoff, Dianna Taylor, and Ann Murphy, as well as feminist critiques of subjectivity such as those of Judith Butler and Simone de Beauvoir.