Jordana Timerman Pathos

In the last year, more women’s rights movements have been occurring in the United States and all over the world. Several are advocating key issues regarding reproductive rights, physical abuse, and sexual violence. Women all over the world are faced with threats to their fundamental rights, which include access to contraceptives and a safe legal abortion. Jordana Timerman, an Argentine journalist and author of Misogyny, Femicide, and an Unexpected Abortion Debate addresses Argentina’s critical movement in stopping unsafe abortions, violence, and prejudice of Latin American women. In the article, Timerman discusses the powerful women’s rights movement happening in Argentina to stop innocent women from dying of femicides and illegal abortions.

Using rhetorical devices such as pathos, ethos, logos, and kairos, Timerman makes an effective argument generating a call for action concerning the crisis happening in Latin America and the effects women activism is having to Argentina.
In Buenos Aires, an Argentine stand-up comedian named Malena Pichot criticized those who opposed the legalization of abortion. Though it was a comic act, it was not a funny thing to discuss while numerous women in Argentina and other Latin American countries are dying from illegal abortions. For decades, abortion has been off the table because of the regions conservative views alongside the very influential Roman Catholic Church. With the controversial topic of abortion in the legislative, it has unexpectedly sparked a conversation among Latin American women, resulting in public activism from a group called Ni Una Menos. Ni Una Menos has since made a very powerful movement that is responding to the murders of hundreds of women and girls in Argentina. Argentina isn’t the only country in Latin America that women face violence and prejudice but most of the region has many aspects against them. With the debates of several bills regarding abortion in Argentina, it could possibly be the first country in South America to legalize abortion within the first 14 weeks of a pregnancy. Thus, Jordan’s article responds to why the legalization of abortion is necessary; along with stopping misogyny and femicide.
Timerman’s use of pathos was very prominent and powerful in her examples of stories, images, and powerful words.

Throughout the article, Timerman utilizes pathos to her advantage to create a better effective argument. An instance where Timerman uses pathos is through the use of images. A few images shown were of women activating for their rights through peaceful protest. For example, Timerman shows an image of a young girl with the words, “Wealthy women abort, the poor die.” (Timerman) Images like this present an opportunity for the audience to have sympathy for the women that are less fortunate than those who are privileged enough to have safe abortions. Another instance where she uses pathos was to get those who may be against abortion to have a different perspective of why a woman may need one. “A young mother of three who in 2007 was refused an early abortion that she needed to receive cancer treatment is emblematic. She died, as did the baby.” (Timerman) In the article, Timerman notes how religion and capital officials ultimately have had the control of what women can and cannot do with their bodies because of the regions conservative views and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. The audience, especially women, will have great empathy for these women because of the number of women globally who are faced with threats to their fundamental rights. Timerman also uses pathos by telling the story of an unfortunate girl who died wrongfully. Timerman states that a

14-year-old pregnant girl was murdered by her teenage boyfriend and buried her in his grandparent’s courtyard. Since femicides are considered crimes of passion, perpetrators can validate it with real or suspected infidelity; therefore, young women are being murdered while perpetrators are given no punishment. Since this articles focus is on femicides, abortion, and misogyny, she used emotion as a fueling aspect to get those reading to care. Timerman’s effectiveness in pathos used in her article helped the audience empathize with the crisis and ultimately have compassion towards the situation. The argument was ultimately strong because of her effective use of pathos in her article to appeal to the audience’s emotion and heart.
The use of ethos in Timermans article was seemingly the less prominent appeal, although, her experience living in Argentina, and knowledge of it makes her believable. Since Timerman is an Argentine journalist and knows firsthand what has been happening in Argentina and across Latin America it makes her well-informed and credible. Timerman’s knowledge of the current political climate in Argentina makes her argument more effective. For example, Timerman has noticed that the Argentine President, Mauricio Macri, has all of the sudden invited lawmakers to the debate the issue of abortion. Timerman then speculates that the president is only bringing up the debate to hide Argentina’s economic problems. “An abortion debate might help distract from Argentina’s economic woes, such as surging inflation, and wildly unpopular tariff increases for utilities and transportation.” (Timerman) Timerman’s use of credible sources also made her argument quite effective in which shines a light on how young and educated people of Argentina feel about abortion. “Several polls indicate that a majority of the population now supports decriminalizing abortion, with a higher percentage among younger voters and those with higher levels of education.”(Timerman) Although, the ethos was not Timermans prominent appeal she still made an effective argument mainly through her experience as an Argentine woman.
Next, Timerman appeals to logos by using facts and statistics in regard to the surges of femicides and clandestine abortions in Argentina. Although facts appeal to the mind, clarification of terms throughout the article would have made her argument easier to grasp. However, Timerman does explain why the unexpected debate on abortion started a conversation among Latin American women. In 2015, a public activism group call Ni Una Menos (not one less) started the group because of the surge of femicides that had claimed the lives of 235 women in one year. Timerman also makes an effective argument by presenting facts and the use of experts to better understand how illegal abortions are affecting not only Argentina but Latin America as a whole. To better support logos she gives some facts about clandestine abortions being the leading cause of maternal mortality in Argentina. “Experts believe 500,000 take place annually, and ensuing complications killed an estimated 43 women last year.”(Timerman) Timerman also uses examples of other countries in Latin America to make her argument a lot stronger. By presenting statistics from other parts of the Americas she is helping persuade the reader intellectually. “ El Salvador also has the highest femicide rate in the world; Latin American countries dominate the top 10 with the highest femicide rates.”(Timerman) Throughout the article, Timermans use of logos could be much more effective if she were to clarify terms such as clandestine and femicides; however, because she provided facts and statistics, Timerman backs up her argument with evidence to better persuade the audience.
Timerman uses kairos as a very effective tool in creating a call for action and a sense of urgency in the crisis presented.

Since Timermans article was posted to the New York Times on May 15, 2018, it makes her argument relevant to the audience. Since the New York Times is accessed through the internet, it ensures a larger audience Timerman can persuade. The timing of her argument also makes it much more effective because of the multiple women’s rights movements happening globally. For example, in America, multiple women marches have occurred since the election of President Trump in 2017; resulting in more waves of movements, like the #MeToo movement. These powerful movements have resulted in justice for those who have been sexually abused or assaulted and the rights to decide for themselves to have an abortion. Thus, her describing the threats happening to Latin American women helps the audience feel a sense of urgency in helping women get the rights they deserve. For instance, Timerman uses current situations that are happening in Latin America to further assist her in making her argument more effective. For example, El Salvador’s abortion laws are criminalized in all cases, even if a woman’s life is threatened because of it. Women in El Salvador have also received life-long prison sentences on the charges of aggravated homicide from getting illegal abortions. She also gives an example of a current situation in Argentina that needs to be stopped because of the unfair

advantages doctors have in making decisions for patients. “Abortions are technically permitted in cases of rape and danger to the pregnant woman’s health in Argentina, but in reality, obstacles such as rampant use of “conscientious objector” laws, which allow doctors and hospitals to refuse to provide these procedures.”(Timerman) Timerman’s use of kairos made her argument much more effective since she is persuading the audience to feel as though this is an important crisis that needs to be acted upon.
Timerman uses pathos, ethos, logos, and kairos, as well as imagery to successfully convince her audience. She argues that the influence of religion and political powers should not be the deciding factor of what women can and cannot do with their bodies. She makes her argument compelling by explaining why the legalization of abortion would prevent unnecessary deaths of women. Timerman also gives facts, statistics, current situations and crisis to teach her audience that this is an important issue. Most of all she uses rhetorical devices such as pathos to appeal to the audience’s emotion giving those a sense of compassion and empathy. Timermans article is significant and pertinent because of the conversation happening globally on women’s rights, which ultimately helps those understand the magnitude of this crisis.

Works Citied
Timerman, Jordana. “Misogyny, Femicide and an Unexpected Abortion Debate.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 May 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/opinion/argentina-abortion-ni-una-menos.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/opinion-contributors&action=click&contentCollection=contributors®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=15&pgtype=sectionfront.