Author Archives: Valerie Tarico

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About Valerie Tarico

Seattle psychologist and writer. Author - Trusting Doubt; Deas and Other Imaginings.

Orca Whales, Caribou, Abortion, and You

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What do whales, caribou and humans have in common? Abortion as an adaptive response to ill health and resource scarcity. Spontaneous abortion, also known as miscarriage, is an ordinary but important part of normal reproduction—one of several ways that nature … Continue reading

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The Silly Sexist Conceit of Fetal Personhood

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The notion that life begins at conception is a variation on a very ancient cultural theme: penis worship. I’m slow sometimes, but after years of writing about abortion rights it finally occurred to me that “life begins at conception” is … Continue reading

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Can Religion be an Addiction?

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“I’ve never been happier since I quit my 30-year addiction to Jesus.” – Blogger and Christian Heretic Sandra Kee To a medical researcher, the word addiction has a specific biological meaning. But in common vernacular, it means approximately this: the … Continue reading

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Better Birth Control for Men – How Would It Work? What’s in the Pipeline?

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Most people think of contraception as an issue of women’s health and rights. But for millennia, men too have wanted choices—the means to decide whether, when, and with whom they father a child. Coitus interruptus or the “withdrawal method” was … Continue reading

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Abortion Care as a Spiritual Ministry—An Interview with Dr. Willie Parker

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What kind of person becomes a full time abortion provider, traveling across state lines to end unhealthy or unwanted pregnancy despite screaming protesters threatening death and damnation? Whatever image you may have in mind, Dr. Willie Parker probably doesn’t fit … Continue reading

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