Introduction
The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian novel, showcases how theocrats operate the Republic of Gilead. Even though the religious fundamentalists are responsible for the administrative duties of the country, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pollution have rendered most ladies infertile. The fertile women are trained to be surrogates, including Offred to bear children to influential and wealthy men in society to restore the human race. In the United States, STDS causes approximately 40% of women’s infertility (Boyle, 2020). It is essential to discuss whether America will become similar to the Republic of Gilead.
The Future of the United States
I agree that in the future, America will resemble the situation of the Republic of Gilead. Currently, there is a 4% reduction in the birth rate in the United States (Boyle, 2020). The existing women’s health reproductive act (WHPA) allows US ladies have unrestricted access to abortion, which continues to lower the overall population. At the same time, various factors, including overwhelming student debt, economic uncertainty, and financial stressors, have spearheaded the growing desire to delay motherhood (Boyle, 2020). The escalation of the unemployment rate has limited access to healthcare insurance, resulting in the escalation of the STDs.
Global warming may adversely affect the fertility of ladies, whereby hot weather changes sexual factors, and pollution causes a change in the menstruation cycle and early menopause. In the Republic of Gilead, government officials implement the non-contextual interpretation of bible verses. For example, individuals found guilty of committing adultery are punished harshly. In the United States, religious fundamentalists prohibit infidelity; however, states, including New York, have executed the child-parent security act (CPSA) policy legalizing surrogacy, leading to the high transmission of STDs (Crawley, 2018). The United States will continue experiencing reduced births and a decline in the overall population due to increased infertility rates caused by STDs and environmental factors, such as pollution.
Conclusion
Environmental factors such as pollution cause an increase in global warming, resulting in hot temperatures that adversely affect ladies’ sexual behavior and menstruation. Even though the religious fundamentalists operate the government affairs, having laws, such as CPSA and WHPA, has led to the escalation of the transmission of STDs, interfering with women’s infertility. The decrease in the birth rate indicates the overall populace in the US will decline, similar to the Republic of Gilead, prompting the wealthy men to bear children with fertile ladies to increase the human race.
References
Boyle, A. (2020). They should have never given us uniforms if they didn’t want us to be an army: The handmaid’s tale as transmedia feminism. Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 45(4), 845-870. Web.
Crawley, K. (2018). Reproducing whiteness: Feminist genres, legal subjectivity and the post-racial dystopia of the handmaid’s tale (2017). Law and Critique, 29(3), 333-358. Web.