So, today the Governor of North Dakota signed 3 controversial Anti-Abortion bills. Now, most of you might have seen my strong opposition to these bills therefore have the opinion that I am Pro-Choice. You would not be wrong in that, but I am also Pro-Life.
I know the chances of me changing anyone's minds are slim to none. And that is not the purpose of this entry.
The pro-life in me:
I look at all the wonderful people in my life, my "nieces and nephews", the babies my sisters are carrying right now and I think "there would be something missing from my life if they were not here". I look at my wonderful friends who are trying to adopt right now and think "they will be wonderful parents to a lucky child and every child aborted is one less possible son or daughter for them".
I personally don't think I would ever have an abortion. And that has nothing to do with "valuing the child more over others" or "because I believe life begins at conception". It is because (and ask anyone who knows me well) that I fear regret. And anything that cannot be undone scares me. For example, I have wanted a tattoo since I was in high school. It has taken me until last year to finally decide on the design, but I have yet to do it. Because I fear I would regret it. As I say this, keep in mind that I have never had to be put in a situation in which abortion would be considered. I have very supportive friends and family who will help me if need be. I have never been pregnant from rape or incest. I have never been pregnant when my life would be at risk. In short, I have never been pregnant period.
Finally, I hate the idea of abortion being used at birth control. To me, it is extreme. If you are not "ready" or "prepared" to accept consequences of having sex, then don't have sex. Plus, so many alternatives out there to prevent pregnancy (yes, I know, accidents happen).
And as I write this, I wonder how my views would be different if I was pregnant.
The pro-choice in me:
I have yet to decide if life begins at conception. And, realistically, I don't know if that would make a difference.
I believe forcing someone to carry a child that was "forced" upon them is horrific. And I will not tell them they have to.
A victim of incest, much like a victim of rape, should not endure the traumatic experience of carrying a child. The thought of it traumatizes me as an outsider.
If a mother's life is at risk, what makes her life less valued? All life should be equal (as pro-life advocates say).
Many, if not all, reasonings behind abortion measures are not for the people, but based on religious beliefs. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs but this country cannot create laws based on religious beliefs. We live in a diverse country when it comes to religion. And we will be creating huge cultural "wars" if we allow laws to be based on religion.
Not everyone has the opportunities I have with supportive friends and family to help.
It is not my right to make decisions for other women. Women have for centuries made decisions for themselves. I feel confident in saying some made bad decisions and some made good. How is that different from anyone else?
I myself live with some physical issues that could make carrying a child be very hard for me. I don't know if that would be enough for me to decide to have an abortion if I were to get pregnant but it is enough for me to ponder the idea as there are many women far worse than me.
And for me, the most important reason for being pro-choice is that women would be able to get abortions done safely in a medical facility and not in some chop-shop in an alley as seen in the past. Years ago, when Jesse Ventura ran for governor of Minnesota, he wanted to legalize prostitution. I was outraged by this until I spoke with my uncle. My uncle said to me that he supported it because, regardless if it was legal or illegal, there will be prostitution. At least if it is legal, there is protection for the prostitutes and careful medical testing done to prevent the spread of disease. This made me look differently at the idea of legalizing prostitution. And as such, the same with abortion.
So, how do I live with this?:
Well, it is simple. It is not my choice to dictate what someone should do. If they decide on abortion, I want a safe environment for them and trained medical professionals attending to them. If they choose to have the baby, congrats to them and I wish them many years of happiness. And if they choose to have the baby and put it up for adoption - I know many wonderful people who are waiting for a baby to love.
Because I am pro-choice, it doesn't mean I am not pro-life. I actually hate the term "pro-life" as a term placed for "anti-abortion". Pro-choice means pro-life. Pro-choice takes into consideration all people involved, not just the fetus.
So yes, I am Pro-Choice. And yes, I am Pro-Life.
