Opportunist, huh? I think the pro-choice language came out of one of the more effective arms of the feminist movement, and at the time the language was developed, this was a pretty radical notion for lots of people. Still is, actually. Women are still bombarded with propaganda that purports to be the authority on what women are supposed to do with their bodies (shave! diet! pluck! cream! makeup!) and having a voice out there that says it's a woman's body and a woman's choice still needs to be heard and still has something to teach. I wish the pro-choice language was used more frequent;ly to talk about other aspects of female embodiment, actually. So, yeah, Carrol, go ahead and attack liberal feminism as being opportunist. It's pretty easy to be in the theoretical vanguard when there's no chance that your theory is going to affect you, huh? The prochoice language is not something that we, as people with an investment in the issue, can afford to give up (obviously you're not one of those people, or you wouldn't be suggesting that an effective rhetorical strategy be replaced with one that is simply more ideologically pure). To paraphrase an old liberal feminist chestnut. Carrol, keep your theory off my body.
By the way, it's good that you don't read Rob's stuff. Wouldn't want to have to take seriously any challenges to your thinking. .
frances