A few weeks ago, I bought a book from the Cornell Store which has been on my reading list for eons. This is, of course, the infamous Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I could feel myself getting consumed by the pages, as I spent hours flipping and immersing myself into the world of the dystopian Gilead, which is more than just a fictional place — it is a manifestation of far-right ideologies. Gilead is an alternative future United States, one where climate change drastically drove down fertility levels, and a group called the “Sons of Jacob” came together to take the country in their own hands.
The Sons of Jacob lead a coup and install a new regime based on strict Fundamentalist Christian doctrines with a core focus on women’s reproductive rights. In this universe, women are separated into four different categories depending on their age, status and fertility. In this fictional timeline, women are separated into four categories: Wives, Marthas, Aunts and Handmaids. Each category serves a purpose, and in this case, the Handmaids are young, fertile women.
Handmaids are forced surrogates to Commanders, whose wives are often barren. Phrases such as “blessed be the fruit” are exchanged by different characters, emphasizing the importance of fertility in this dying world. Despite the grim introduction to Gilead, one might wonder how much of a possibility this universe is for our own. Currently, we are at a turbulent time in society, from Roe v. Wade’s overturning to the rise of platforms which vocalize sexism as a “manly” thing to younger male audiences. It is frightening that political commentator and pundit Nick Fuentes recently quipped the phrase “your body, my choice.” Alongside his own quips, others have joined in, celebrating his “boldness” while attacking women. That is the point of The Handmaid’s Tale, in essence — it is about controlling women’s body and autonomy.
One out of every Six American women have reported being raped — and this does not count the abundance of unreported assaults. At a time where female bodily autonomy is so heavily debated, it leaves women feeling powerless. With a new conservative surge spreading across the country like a shockwave, many women have expressed concerns of feeling unsafe and shaken by the precarity of their fundamental rights. We have come so far as a society in expanding women’s rights and amplifying voices, yet, at the moment, it feels like regression. The regressive ideals of controlling women as objects continue to persist in different ways, and manifest as a dark looming shadow on every aspect of our lives. Not only is this about controlling bodies, but also about ideas.
A woman is seen as an object. In fact, rape of women used to be considered a property crime against the father of the victim. I cannot say where the belief of women being objects has stemmed from, however, I do know this: Every person needs to pick up a copy of The Handmaid’s Tale to understand our current society and women’s place in it. Currently, The Handmaid’s Tale is banned in several states, and has been removed from libraries and schools across the country in 2022. This book dives deep into a frightening ideology and paints a picture of how commodifying women can materialize. The Handmaids are quite literally walking wombs and are used by the Commanders against their own will. This is the extremes of what happens when women are likened to ownership and not as a free individual. Women’s bodies are constantly getting violated, and recently, there has been a surge of anti-feminist backlash around the globe. The Handmaid’s Tale gives a window to understanding women’s commodification and how dangerous rhetoric can lead to a grim dystopia.
Right now, we need people that understand the plight of control and have an empathetic understanding of history and equality. In order to develop that, we need people who can read into the words of another world to grasp the urgency of the situation. We do not want to come to a world where anyone owns anyone’s body, soul, and life. There is a reason why this book is being banned –– and that reason is due to its provocative, eye opening nature. It is time to embrace such provocative literature, so we can make sure that “blessed be the fruit” is a phrase of fiction, not reality. Thus, this is a banned book that all should be educated on — for their mother, sister, wife or friend.
Asfi Tias is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].