As U.S. states like Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia are passing laws restricting abortion and gearing up to challenge the Roe v. Wade decision in the U.S. Supreme Court, I look on from north of the border with dismay and disgust. I wouldn’t want to live in a country where limited reproductive rights could mean that my body wouldn’t necessarily be my own.
I’ve never had an abortion, but as a woman, my reproductive rights and reproductive health should be between me and my doctor and based on what’s most appropriate in my specific circumstances. My body is my own, and the government should have no rights of ownership over my uterus.
The religious angle
If people don’t agree with abortion, they’re perfectly free to make their own choices consistent with that. They’re also free to express their beliefs, although they’re not free to harass others. If they make those decisions based on their religious beliefs, they have the right to their own religious freedom.
However, people who are anti-abortion, especially for religious reasons, are not entitled to make my choices for me. Religious freedom means not being forced to adhere to another person’s religious views. Imagine the outcry if a non-Christian religion tried to impose their views on the general American population. I strongly believe that no one should ever be able to impose their religious beliefs on me and my uterus. My reproductive rights should not be overruled by a religion that I don’t believe in. Why, as an atheist, should my body be controlled by Christian conservatives?
“Late term” abortion
Another place where the government does not belong is the agonizing decisions faced by pregnant women who want to have a child but learn of gross fetal abnormalities in the late second trimester or into the third trimester. “Late term abortion” isn’t an actual medical term, yet it’s often tossed around as though it involves women who simply couldn’t be bothered getting an abortion early on. In reality, these are tremendously difficult decisions that should be made by a woman, her family, and her doctor.
“Legitimate” rape
Just recently, Missouri state representative Barry Hovis spoke about how the majority of rapes are consensual. He later apologized and claimed that he misspoke, but that kind of ignorance should have no place in public office.
Some state representatives have argued that women who’ve experienced “legitimate” rape couldn’t get pregnant because “the juices don’t flow” and rape causes women to “secrete a certain secretion” to “shut that thing down”. Well, that’s a medical explanation if I’ve ever heard one. Sadly, it seems not uncommon for people within the anti-abortion movement to make uninformed or misinformed statements about the female reproductive system and abortion care in order to bolster their position. Personally, I prefer reproductive health care decisions to be based on facts and science.
Maybe if these people want to reduce abortions, they should address rape culture. Maybe they should push for schools and parents to talk to their kids about the realities of sex and, just as importantly, the nature of consent.
Who gets to choose?
Isn’t it interesting that it seems to be mostly men trying to pass laws imposing their beliefs on women’s bodies? If it was women trying to dictate what happens with men’s bodies, particularly their reproductive systems, is there a snowball’s chance in hell that would actually happen? Of course not.
This shouldn’t be about which side should “win”. You don’t see pro-choice advocates trying to force women who are anti-choice to have abortions. People have the right to their own views, but they shouldn’t be able to enact those views on women’s bodies.
Given the current climate, I am very glad that I don’t live in the United States. The idea of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh having a say over what happens to women’s bodies is revolting. Women’s reproductive health is a health care issue that should be addressed on an individual basis; it should involve a woman and her doctor, and significant others of her choosing. No one should be imposing their views, particularly their own religious views, on women’s bodies. Reproductive rights need to be treated as rights.
The Social Justice & Equality page has info and resources on a wide variety of social issues.
Preach ✌️ It’s our choice to choose 💖
AMEN! Sister! I am so sickened over what is happening here in my own country. “Stay the F’ away from a woman’s uterus!!!”
Yes!!!
I totally agree on this. It’s our choice what happens to us and our bodies
No one else. Just ourselves and the doctor.
Exactly.
Some folks would say that history repeats itself, even ugly and stupid history. And that those who don’t learn from mistakes are doomed to repeat them. Well since to my knowledge no man has ever had to decide about an abortion (except as they are doing now), I’m not sure why they feel entitled to stick their nose into it. We don’t go around saying all ‘ugly’ or “stupid’ men should be castrated, do we? I don’t know. The longer I live, the stupider things get. Repeating that vile history of back alley abortions is beyond moronic.
Absolutely
Great post! I agree that the government should not be involved in this option. The alternative are the unsafe and deadly options used prior to Roe V. Wade. SMH…
Such a horrid thought that women could be forced to resort to that again.
So good. I completely agree- even if someone is pro-life, there is absolutely no need to take away the freedom of choice. These politicians who are supposedly promoting Christian ideals, then turn around and devalue women, ignore the poor, and promote xenophobia like no other. Even if they’re basing in on religious beliefs, it’s as if they pick and choose simply as a means of control. As a Christian myself, I just find all of this appalling.
Things would likely be very different if these supposedly Christian politicians did more to emulate the love and acceptance demonstrated by Jesus.
Am I allowed to comment a link to my post on this topic?
Sure 🙂
I am so infuriated by this whole topic it’s so so messed up. It’s absolutely nobody else’s business but the woman involved. I had an abortion at 8 weeks, only realising I was pregnant at 6 weeks and to think that if I was somewhere where these ridiculous laws are being introduced I would be eligible to go to prison is mind-blowing and barbaric. Women deserve better than being treated as second-rate humans.
Absolutely.
Wish I was north of the border with you! Great post-I whole heartedly agree. Unfortunately I reside in Missouri, where now a corpse literally has more rights to what happens to its body than I do. That’s pretty grim, scary and sad.
Ugh, that’s horrible.
The rising authoritarianism here just scares me all the way around. I know politics is a pendulum that swings back and forth, but it feels like we are totally out of control right now.
It’s terrifying.
Great post…
I personally disagree with abortion, but I also believe its not my choice. People are free to decide. Putting restrictions will only lead to an unsafe abortion.
Thanks so much for you comment.
A fantastic post, Ashley! Honestly, you’re lucky to not live here and worry about this kind of crap. You make a great point that if a religion that wasn’t Christianity was trying to impose laws like this, people would be furious. Sadly it seems there will never be a true separation of church and state in America.
It’s disturbing that so many people seem to think that separation of church and state just shouldn’t be a thing.
It honestly is. It doesn’t make sense if there is supposed to be freedom of religion. You can’t make one religion the superior one that gets to make all of the decisions for others who have a different religion or no religion at all.
Exactly.
YYYYAAAAASSSSSS!!! I can’t even begin — this entire subject pisses me off. Well said, Ashley.
I wish I could throw smelly things at the bunch of dumbasses making these decisions…
You said it.
Very well said. I Stand behind every word of this.❤️
I agree. A women should be able to choose what they do with their body. Not everyone is able to carry a baby to full term or raise a child.
I was accidentally almost raped once and it wasn’t my choice. If someone is raped and ends up pregnant, they should have the choice of abortion.
Absolutely.