The notion that the majority of women choose abortion as a form of birth control; as if it is an equal alternative to taking a birth control pill or having their partner wear a condom is unfounded. The thought that the decision to have an abortion is as easy as deciding, whether you want your coffee with or without sugar, is one I would attribute to a disconnected, out of touch individual. The characterization of women who choose abortion as heartless, selfish, religious-less individuals is baseless. Yet this is the picture being painted by many across the country, on a mission to build a foundation for criminalizing abortion, taking away the basic right for a woman to control her body in the process.
The stereotype of the woman who has an abortion is being created, promoting a prejudice that minimizes the issue and ultimately affects women’s rights. The ability to legally terminate a pregnancy gives a woman diagnosed with cancer the option to choose when to begin cancer treatment. It gives an 11 year old girl raped by her uncle, brother or even neighbor the option to remain a child. Would it be acceptable that the mother of an 11 year old has to explain to her child that she does not have a choice in whether to have a baby that was created as a result of rape? Imagine that your sister, mother or wife is forced to delay cancer treatment because she is 3 weeks pregnant. These are the faces of women who struggle with the decision to have an abortion. Roe versus Wade is not a phenomenon—it has been the law for decades and gives women access to a safe and legal abortion. It gives women the right to manage their bodies.
Despite the fact that abortion is legal, it has not stopped many from finding ways to circumvent settled law. For example, Georgia currently has a bill that would criminalize miscarriage [2, 3]. Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota are all debating various bills that would decriminalize murdering a physician that performs legalized abortions [1, 4, 5, 6]. Yes, if states are successful in passing these types of laws, the murder of a doctor that terminates a pregnancy for a child that was raped could be legal.
The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that eliminates the federal funding of Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides an abundance of women’s services including sex education, counseling, HIV testing and abortion [7]. Limiting funding to Planned Parenthood may impact women’s access to many other family planning services, other than abortion. It should be noted that Planned Parenthood does not use federal funds to pay for abortions.
If that wasn’t enough, as a method to limit a woman’s access to abortion, the House of Representatives introduced another bill containing language which attempted to redefine “rape” [8, 9]. In other words, an elected official, most likely a man, would have defined what does and does not constitute rape, further complicating an already traumatic and difficult situation. Laws like these not only threaten the livelihood of women; they are also dangerous and may have a devastating impact on the criminality of rape with far reaching consequences that go beyond limiting access to abortions. Fortunately, this language was removed from the bill.
If abortion could be paired down to choosing life or death, I think you would be hard pressed to find a single woman that wants to kill an unborn child for the sake of doing it. I strongly believe the decision is often difficult for many women and it’s never as simple as many seem to think. The fact remains, abortion is legal and it is a woman’s right to decide what to do with her body. It is a woman’s right to evaluate the circumstances and determine how to proceed with the difficult choice of whether or not to bring a child into the world. No one should be allowed to tell a woman what to do with her body nor should they be able to make this difficult decision on her behalf. After all, it is her right to choose. The war on women’s rights is far from over and the battle rages on. If you believe women should retain this right, pay attention, get involved, and speak out against the attack on women’s rights.
Recent articles/legislation about abortion
[1] http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/02/south_dakota_legislator_defend.html
[2] http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/02/miscarriage-death-penalty-georgia
[3] http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display.aspx?Legislation=31965
[4] http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/nebraska-justifiable-homicide-abortion-bill
[5] http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Intro/LB232.pdf
[6] http://iowaindependent.com/52869/iowa-bills-open-door-for-use-of-deadly-force-to-protect-the-unborn
[7] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/planned-parenthood-fundin_n_825258.html
[8] http://www.politico.com/huddle/0211/huddle714.html
[9] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/04/antiabortion-lawmakers-ba_n_818842.html
Dawn, thanks for your response. You bring up a big issue many, probably most women struggle with - supporting a woman's right to choose without being supportive of a women having an abortion. I think we can do both, I think we can be supportive of a women having the right to control her body and promoting the alternatives to ensure women are aware of all the options they have when forced to make this decision. For those dealing with incest, rape especially when it is a young child 10,11,12 years old, adoption may be an alternative option. But I look at my own child barely 10 years old and I cant envision her having a child at the age of 10. It really is a personal decision and it doesnt fit into the one size fit all box some want to put it in. With so many cultures, religions and ethical beliefs, I personally feel every women needs to have the option evaluate their circumstances based on their own beliefs before making this difficult decision.
I truly appreciate your contribution to this blog.
This is a very timely and sensitive subject for many on both sides of the abortion debate. I have mixed feelings about this sensitive issue; however, I don't believe it's the government's place to tell me what I can and should do with my body. This decision is between myself and God. I'm the one that will have to answer to Him for the decisions I make.
There are many who claim to be pro-life; however, they only care about life when it's in the womb... After the life is brought into this world, they are hell bent on cutting programs and services for the vulnerable in our society i.e. women, children and other marginalized groups. If you are going to be pro-life, then support and value all life. There is a difference between being pro-life and anti-abortion.
Thanks for sharing and bringing awareness to what I call, "the war on women's rights".
Yes, the government in Canada would never make that kind of a decision, it is between a woman and her Doctor (the father has no say.) I do know of a situation where a young woman on my street terminated a pregnancy 8 months along. Sometimes people are really happy but when their circumstances change their emotions are changed and life becomes expendible. Much of what you shared I agree with and like the sensitivity you show and openness to debate which has traditionally not been part of the dialogue in Canada at least. Thanks LaShuan!
Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your comment. This dialog is healthy and helps to open our minds and hearts to those with a variety of different views. These comments as a whole will be benficial to all those that read this blog.
I would like to believe (but have no evidence to support) that a women whom is 9 months pregnant would not suddenly decide that they want to terminate a pregnancy for no other reason than they did not want to have a baby. I agree that would be a travisty.
I cant imagine that after feeling the baby moving around inside your body for months that someone could make the decision to terminate a pregnancy for a non-medical or non-life threatening reason.
I tend to think more about the woman who has a near-fatal injury or a sudden medical incident that requires a decision to be made between saving the mother or the unborn child. It is not a decision that I would ever want to make, but I believe if I had to make it, I'd like to know that I had a choice and that it wasnt the government or someone else deciding what was best for me, my unborn child and my family.
Can you imagine a situation where you arrive at the hospital, only to hear we couldnt save your loved-one, they needed a medication that was harmful to the 8 week fetus she was carrying, by law we ould not administer the medication. The decision is made, but not made by the mother or her family, it was made by the government.
Thanks for reading my blog and leaving a heartfelt comment.
Most people know I am against abortion, because it is the taking innocent human life. Most people don't realise this, but abortion is legal in Canada upto 9 months of age, or birth. In the same hospital in Toronto you can have a child whose life is taken at say 5 months gestation, and one labelled a preemie at the exact same age where everything is being done to save the life. The only difference is so called 'want.' Which of us were born at a perfect time in a perfect place or a perfect situation? Life is not like that, but most of us are thankful to have had the opportunity to experience life. Also, 1 in 10 couples in Canada cannot have children and would love to adopt a child. It is also well known that when a woman keeps her child she tends not to have future abortions. If she has an abortion then she tends to repeat the proceedure. To me it's about the sanctity of all life. Thank you for allowing me to share my views LaShuan!
I truly appreciate and respect your comment. It is one of many things I hope women and men will discuss after reading this blog. The message is lost in religion and in emotion that abortion is a personal decision. The government nor any other bystander should have the right to pass judgement or decide that the circumstances in which a woman is presented with is not worthy of being able to determine her own fate. Right or Wrong, justified or not, it must always remain the womans decision. In no ther situation is it acceptable for the government to control our bodies. The legality of abortion is about the right to make the decision to control our bodies. Do women deserve the right to control their own body? Or will our decisions always be subject to criticism?
If a friend asked me personally about the decision, I would give them a personal answer based on my emotional, moral and spiritual beliefs... however I do not believe it is my right to force/mandate my beliefs on every woman. That would be an injustice.
Thanks for your comments, they were very thought provoking.
Very informative and loved the way you presented this information. I don't know really what it is but for some odd reason men just feel the need to control us. They don't understand what we have to deal with and for them they can twist things around to have us fighting ourselves. As a minister I should be screaming about abortions. I have this to say. I do understand the word of God. I also understand as a nurse and a woman that its not an easy choice when deciding to have an abortion or not. I know there are a few who may use this method as a form of birth control. These ladies are less than 0.5% of our totals. When face with chooseing to terminate a pregnacy a woman has to face her total self...physically, mentally, emotionally and most of all spiritually. If a man had to deal with this on just the physical he would not allow anyone to say he had to do something he didn't want to do. Also forcing a woman to have a child because she does not have a choice will allow her to bring that child into the world with resentment. She might not care for that child well. She may have too many hardships and can not afford that child. And then there is the fact that a lot of needed women health resources are cut because its included in this bill. Its put together in this way to hide the true intent of control and to cut from women but make sure they (men) have everything they need. By pushing abortion up front and making it appear that its used as a form of birth control then the religious right will get involved and those women won't see what the real intent is and thus we become divided and fight each other. I feel that a woman has to go to God on her own with this choice but in the end at least have a choice if she must to have a safe way if she must have an abortion.
As a preacher I'm going to get the rocks thrown at me but I just must leave you with this....
Ever wonder if