Nor is a fetus a human being. It’s a fetus. Once born, it’s a human baby.

For a more nuanced explanation, see Gary Francione’s FAQ, specifically question #11. I agree with the bulk of his reasoning, save for the very last sentence.

The most pertinent section, I think, is this:

What if we determine that some fetuses are sentient? Certainly, late-term fetuses react to certain stimuli. It may be the case that such fetuses are sentient and have an experiential welfare. In this case, it would make sense to say that such fetuses have interests. But even if we assume that sentient fetuses have a basic right that prevents their wholly instrumental treatment, abortion presents a most unusual conflict of rights. One right holder exists within the body of another right holder and is dependent upon her for the very existence that serves as the predicate for the fetus having interests in the first place. Such a conflict is unique, and protection of fetal interests risks state intrusion on the woman’s body and privacy interests in a way that no other protection of the basic right of another requires. If a parent is abusing her three-year-old, the state may remove the child in order to protect the child’s interests. The state cannot protect fetal interests without intruding on the bodily autonomy of the woman and forcing her to continue an unwanted pregnancy.

So just as I support a human woman’s right to decide who resides within her body, so too do I support a cow’s right to make the same choice.

I cannot solve the beaf/steak problem. But according to the London Medical Journal, women’s milk is higher in sugar than a cow’s, and is the next step down from a cow in butter, water, and cream. Some are sure to immediately find this radical or absurd, but really, it isn’t so far fetched and would be the next reasonable step. People need to stop treating women’s breasts as something to be embarrassed about and start treating them as the valuable and wonderful resource they are.

Plus, women can be sexually stimulated and fed high-protein diets to increase milk production. Like a cow, a woman’s udders will swell to meet the demand- so natural and reversible breast augmentation is possible for virtually any woman wanting to try a larger bustline. And pregnancy is _not_ required. Only regular, firm, pulsing suction.

Furthermore, the existing equipment already will work with a woman’s udders, so there is no retooling required. Bag balm, the highest quality lanolin, is already available to help keep the nipples and areola soft and chap-free, so there is no discomfort there.

I for one, wouldn’t mind seeing tens of thousands of women rounded up and put in milking stalls for their daily milkings. I’m sure volunteers of both genders could be rounded up to help by hand, mouth, or machine, for the more sensitive hucows among the herd. And as most in medicine know, women who are ‘in the milk’ will naturally squirt milk from their nipples in pulses, when they climax. Volunteers can regularly provide breast massages, working Bag Balm in, to keep them soft and healthy and inspected for problems that might need medical attention.

Who among the women here are willing to step forward and be the first hucow in the stall? I promise, it can be a very pleasurable experience… don’t mind the straps, plugs, harnesses, and other devices to keep the hucow in place so she doesn’t hurt herself. Only 1 or 2 gallons of milk produced a day required.