Between the legislative government, some doctors, some pharmacists, and the countless people who think they have the right to make dictations on other peoples rights, abortion is arguably one of the most sensitive topics regarding women's rights. I'm not going to say that some women haven't used abortion as a means for birth control, but I will go as far as to say that the majority do not. Terminating a pregnancy can not possibly be the easiest thing for a woman to do. I doubt she says (after confirming her pregnancy), "oh it's no biggie, I'll just round up $300+ and go get an abortion." Let's be for real here.
The average woman caught in this situation will have to do a lot of soul searching and make on hell of a decision as to what she should do. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, should force a woman to keep a pregnancy that she doesn't want; especially rape victims. It's bad enough someone violated her body and then she would be further violated and persecuted by having the baby and putting it up for adoption or keep it. That child too will suffer immeasurably. Those who blow up clinics and such to protect the unborn are all hypocrites. In the process of trying to preserve a life, they're killing innocent people. How does that even make sense?! If they stop playing the semantics game, murder is murder. Justify that. Naturally, I'm just one woman with an opinion, but I AM A WOMAN, and that gives me grounds enough to be more than angry with those who try to deny me or any other woman whatever reproductive or non-reproductive rights that we choose. Poll your average woman who'd submit to a blind study that has terminated a pregnancy and I'll bet she'll tell you that it wasn't an easy decsion to make. She'll probably tell you that it wasn't something she decided to up and do without consideration. Yes, there's adoption, but that in itself can create another set of problems, hurt, and regret.
It's a woman's body and her choice to decide what to do with it. Again, I'm not condoning abortion as a means of birth control, but I support any womans decision to have one. I, like many other women I've spoken with, are sick and tired of being told what we can/can't do or should/shouldn't do with our bodies. Especially when a man can go out and get an Rx for his penile dysfunction and/or sexual maladies, but a woman can't get an Rx for birth control. Hell, in some states a woman (or man) needs spousal content to have a tubal ligation or vasectomy. What kind of BS is that? So, a man or woman can go around pro-creating without regard for the other person or the child involved, but they need consent to prevent it? That's some ass backwards thinking if you ask me. I think any man or woman who has never had a child; even ones who have, and choose to no longer have that option, should be commended for that. Why bring a child into the world that is unplanned, unwanted, and could not be properly taken care of emotionally or financially.
As you can tell, this is a debate that irks me to no end. There are a lot of women (and some men) who fought and died for a woman to have reproductive rights and I think their memory and hard work has been ignored because some politician; some overzealous religious fundamentalist; or some over opinionated gloat; thinks that a woman can't or shouldn't be able to control her body and/or her choices. Agreed, there are instances where parental notification should be maintained, but for the most part, I maintain my stand that it's a woman's body and it's her place to chose what she wants to do with it.
I end my tirade now before I spend the rest of the day ranting on this topic.
11 comments:
I agree. Totally, utterly, 100%, absolutely. NO woman wants to have an abortion, and NO woman lightheartedly decides, "Gosh, I guess I'll go have an abortion today. I don't like this whole pregnancy thing after all." It's the most painful, soul-grinding decision a person can make.
And if everyone wants there to be fewer abortions (which I think we all do), then the answer is: birth control! Easily accessible to all, over the counter, any time, anywhere. I know the Right Wing doesn't want to believe it, but people have [gasp!] sex. Abstinence education sounds good, but research shows that it doesn't work -- and surely a sexually active, well-informed, birth-control-supplied teenager is better than a sexually active, ignorant, frightened, pregnant teenager.
You're right; it's easy to get going on this and keep going all day. Thanks for the great post!
Seeing as I'm not a woman and to my knowledge no woman has ever terminated a pregnancy that I may have caused, I don't feel it's my place to tell a woman what she should do with her body. I think the decision is a woman's to make and people should just stay out of her business.
Ahh yea, you're back to the controversial stuff...lol.
I am all for Pro-Choice. I don't understand how anyone can support a law that takes away anyone's rights. My thing is, if it's not for you, don't do it, but let someone else also have the option to make their own decision.
I dislike using abortions as birth control. I personally wouldn't do it, but if they want to ruin their bodies like that, it only effects them, not me.
One thing that I'm torn on is when the woman wants the abortion, but the would-be father does not. I know there's no easy around that one, but it does seem a bit unfair to a man who genuinely wants to be a father to his child, but the woman has the right to terminate the pregnancy despite the reasons. It's a catch 22.
The decision to be pro-choice is a simply logical one. It is a woman's body, hence it should be her choice. Having known some women who've been through the ordeal I know that the real crime here is the trivializing of the act by those who are against it. To assume or even accuse someone of doing that so lightly is very heinous. It's not like it's a foot rub or anything.
Like you said, I can talk for hours about this, which is the point. The people who have manufactured this controversy (and it was manufactured, why, when this issue was resolved by the courts decades ago are we even still discussing it?) realized how easy it is to argue about this and how consuming it could be.
Now what is more important? Arguing about the termination of a fetus or arguing about national policy and politics? When you involve religion, the former of course.
Great post. You hit this right on the head...there is such a failure on the right (especially the religious right) to nuance the abortion debate. I can respect that people will disagree on this subject, but choosing to have an abortion is not some careless, off-the-cuff decision.
Moreover, the intolerance that the religious right shows women is quite frightening at times. I blogged about this today on my blog, but a preacher in Watertown, NY, actually fired an 81-year-old Sunday School teacher, because he believes the bible does not allow women to teach men.
No pun intended, but God help us if we move back in that direction!
I'm so totally with you on this, Blu.
And especially those who use religion to promote all kinds of violent hostilities on this issue.
The comments I've received so far have been tremendous and it seems that everyone shares the same thought. Choices need to be left to the individuals instead of being sanctioned by external parties. Rayne's point on the catch 22 (men wanting the child, the woman not) is a tough one and again it's an aruguable debate between THEM.
girl you just uttered my thoughts :) thank you and your rant was WELL DESERVED..
Its SICKENING that we have to go through this and it all depends on who sits on the supreme court decides if abortions will continue to be legal.
Honestly, its a tough decision and its not one to be taken lightly. yes we have those women who don't care or respect their bodies enough that they use it as birth control and then later regret it WHY because they now can't concieve.. my thoughts to them are be more careful next time..but again I digress..
great post!
When people ask me where I stand on the abortion issue, I always tell them, "I'm pro-choice, but as to whether I'd have an abortion myself, I hope to hell I'm never in a position where I have to make that decision."
I watched a documentary on abortion, and all these women were on camera, saying they thought long and hard about it and they knew they were doing the right thing, but after it was all said and done, every. single. one of them cried. It was heart wrenching to watch.
One a similar note, the "Morning After" pill has been approved for women to get it over the counter, so hopefully that will help quiet the fire on the abortion debate. Although I'm sure that pill has it's opposers as well.
The Morning After pill will cause a stir too. Why wouldn't it? It has something to do with a woman making a choice for HER! Forgive the sarcasm!!!
I'm definitely in agreeance with you on this subject! I find it very hypocritical that these right wingers are so "distraught" over UNBORN lives but have such little regard for the 18 and 19-year old lives we're currently losing in this war in Iraq.
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