Political theatre, 2015
On August 22nd, 2015 The Satanic Temple of Detroit interrupted the pro-life national day of protest against Planned Parenthood at the Detroit and Ferndale, Michigan locations. The Temple employed radical political theatre to illustrate the theocratic agenda imposed upon female bodies.
With wrists bound in prayer, two women were drowned in milk at the hands of male clergy. Their bodies callously veiled by the maternal bath. An American flag furnished with a symbol of The Satanic Temple framed the scene, followed by a message: “AMERICA IS NOT A THEOCRACY. END FORCED MOTHERHOOD.”
The highly politicized pro-life movement advocates for the abolition of Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides critical preventive and primary reproductive health care services to low-income women. The current cornerstone of their argument stems from a fabricated, fictional story that clinics “sell baby parts for profit”. The August 22nd protest was directly intended to irresponsibly perpetuate this contrived story in an attempt to leverage misunderstanding for political gain and impose the moral opinions of some upon a diverse community. We strongly oppose the promotion of misinformation and believe that all people are entitled to make informed decisions about their health, family and future without coercion. We refuse to remain voiceless when the philosophical and religious opinions of those in power are utilized to legislate morality. The attempt to do so violates American foundational values of freedom and liberty.
Video and photo by Matt Anderson.
