Whimsical Journeys: March 2013

It is a woman’s right to be in charge of her own body and make the decisions necessary and best fit to her life. Although there are laws allowing legal abortion, the debate between pro choice and pro life is ongoing. It is of high importance that a woman has the full right to her body. Every day as individuals, there are choices to be made whether they are big or small. In these instances there is often no one telling us what to do or making our decisions for us. This is how every situation should be, especially when it comes down to a woman’s right to her own body and her child’s life. It is outrageous and disgusting that in the United States most recent election, between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney there was potential for Planned Parenthood to be banned. In 2011, Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, stated: “I will support efforts to prohibit federal funding for any organization like Planned Parenthood” (Greenberg). In this day and age there should be no debate on the subject of whether abortion should be legal or not, however, there were a number of people that wanted to take this right away from the women of this country. As a nation we have come so far, especially regarding women’s rights and it is uncanny that there are still people that are willing to take them away.

There are a number of reasons as to why about half of the United States population falls under the category of pro life, all understandably so. Often times the people that identify themselves as pro life also identify themselves with another group; religion. While there are numerous religious groups that oppose a woman’s right to abortion, one of the most commonly known is the Catholic religion. In principle, Catholic Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong (Saunders). “The neural pathways are present for pain to be experienced quite early by unborn babies,” explains Steven Calvin, M.D. It has been proven that by 20 weeks gestation the baby is fully capable of experiencing pain (White). It is understandable to not want to end the life of a child who has no say in the matter what so ever. Not only does the unborn child suffer, but the mother does as well. Abortions can cause psychological damage as well as complications in later wanted pregnancies. Procon.org also stated that about 15 percent of first-trimester miscarriages are attributed to prior history of induced abortion “History of Abortion.” When one is considering abortion it is important to think about other options. Many women do not have the privilege to carry their own child, which is a factor that often leads to adoption. However, there is a lack of adoptable babies due to abortion, yet another reason why abortion can be considered a bad thing. Another article on procon.org states that over two million couples are waiting to adopt babies, and only 134,000 United States children are available to be adopted “History of Abortion.” If abortion were not legal, many more babies would be able to lead the lives they were meant to live, whether it is with their birth parents or adoptive parents. A child’s life needs to be taken seriously so just think about this: this is a son or daughter that can never be brought back.

Fig. 1. This image explains how the babies that are aborted could have been some of the most successful people in the world (hsccfv.com).

As human beings it is of the highest importance that we have the final say in what we wish to do with our bodies. For this reason, there should be no debate on whether abortion should be legal or not. The 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade made it possible for women to get safe, legal abortions from well-trained medical practitioners, which led to dramatic decreases in pregnancy related injury and death (History of Abortion). Women have come so far through out the history of the United States with the rights that they have gained; it would be impractical to backtrack and take those rights away. It can be argued that religions do not want abortion to be legal, however, they should have no say on the matter as it is to be decided by the states; what happened to the separation of church and state? Along with religion, politics is one of the biggest deciding factors on whether someone leans toward pro choice or pro life is where they stand politically. I believe that people need to take a step back from what their religious or political groups say and decide what is right based on their own morals.

Fig. 2. This image further exemplifies the point that abortion is not a choice that should be made from a political point of view (tumblr).

Abortion can be helpful not only in cases of an unplanned pregnancy between spouses, but in cases of rape as well. Although abortion should not be an easy way out or used as a frequent form of birth control, it is a helpful option in cases of rape or incest. It is important to remember that even with the proper forms of birth control, unwanted pregnancies can still occur. Without abortion, many women would feel trapped and most likely not be able to properly raise the child from the unplanned pregnancy. Adoption is a choice, however, it can be a difficult one, which is why many women opt for the more impersonal choice of abortion. When a mother endures a pregnancy for almost a year an extremely personal bond is formed between her and her child. Through this long period of time both the mother and the child go through countless changes, which they experience together (Harmon). Talking about the mother and unborn child, Katherine Harmon states; “The two individuals' systems are so intertwined that even after birth, material from the fetus can linger in the mother's body for decades.” When a mother makes that connection with her child it could make the adoption outrageously difficult for her. The most important thing to remember is that women should be in control of the decisions regarding their body at all times.

It is easy for people to form opinions on subjects that they have never experienced themselves. However, if everyone were to take a step back and try to understand just what it would be like to be in the position of having an unwanted pregnancy, maybe it would change his or her mind even a little. Many of the people that oppose abortion, however, are men; men who will never understand what it is like to be told they must have the child of their unwanted pregnancy. An unwanted and unexpected pregnancy can be life altering and if the time ever came where a decision needed to be made, most would want to have the right to do what they want with their body. Taking away Planned Parenthood and abortion laws would not solve anything; on the contrary, it would make many peoples lives far more complicated as well as the life of the child. It is important in today’s society for every single person to have an equal amount of rights, including the right to their own body.

As the topic of abortion is a particularly touchy subject among todays society, it is important that people are fully informed on alternative ways to lessen the need for it rather than have to get rid of abortion all together. There are numerous compromises that can be made to abortion. By raising awareness about the different methods of birth control among people both young and old, the need for abortions would be greatly reduced. According to Columbia University researchers, virginity pledge programs increase pledge-takers’ risk for STIs and pregnancy (Advocates for Youth). The study concluded that 88 percent of pledge-takers initiated sex prior to marriage even though some delayed sex for a while (Advocates for Youth). However, by providing effective safe sex programs in schools, the likelihood of teens becoming pregnant could be greatly lessened. If these programs are set in place to teach the young people in schools, it is likely that the safe and smart behavior learned from the programs will be carried over in to adult hood, resulting in less need for abortion. As previously stated, another alternative to abortion could be adoption, which would also greatly reduce the need for abortion in the United States.

Although there are different beliefs on the subject, abortion is something to be taken extremely seriously and should be legal as it is a women’s right to choose what she does with her body. There are numerous forms of birth control that can be used to prevent having to get an abortion. However, there are instances in which abortion may be the only option in which case the woman should have the right to that option. By setting programs in place in schools, young adults can become more aware of the precautions they can take if they choose to be sexually active. No man or woman should have the right to take away another woman’s right to her own body. Although abortion is not ideal for most, it is an option that has helped countless women and should remain to do so.

Whimsical Journeys

Monday, March 25, 2013

Works Cited

The Ultimate Decision: Women's Rights Matter