I feel like I need to put this out there. I'm not ashamed of being pro-choice, although I understand it's a sensitive issue for a lot of people. You don't have to agree with me, but I hope you will at least read and try to understand my position.
I think the most common misconception about people who are pro-choice is that we all see abortion as a solution to a problem, when in fact, most of us view it as a symptom of a much larger problem - and a necessary evil. I would love to live in a world where the need for abortion didn't exist. But in order for that kind of world to exist, we need to support programs exactly like Planned Parenthood, programs that use most of their funding to provide judgement-free healthcare to people who need it the most.
My pregnancy has not been easy. I am one of those not-so-lucky mommas-to-be whose nausea did not let up at the beginning of the second trimester "like it's supposed to," and a minor complication has meant that I early on, I had some scary moments when the future of my baby was uncertain. I am grateful that my work schedule is flexible and that I have been able to lean on my husband's support - both emotionally and financially - during the rougher times. Aside from the nausea, I know that I am so blessed, because if I was a financially-strapped single woman who relied on an hourly wage, I honestly don't know what I would have done. There are days where (on doctor's orders) I couldn't stand, much less work. But what has made it worthwhile is the knowledge that I want this baby. The idea of someone being forced to go through a difficult pregnancy, if that was not the case, is heartbreaking to me.
Our country has some great programs to help out women who are struggling through pregnancies they didn't plan or can't afford (Planned Parenthood being one of them), but it's just not enough - especially if, like me, a woman is put on bed-rest and can't work. And what about after the baby is born? To honestly say you are truly "pro-life," you must be willing to vote for and openly support programs that will help that baby and his/her momma all his/her life, not just until birth - programs like welfare, WIC, better education, and medicare, just to name a few. Until we live in a society where those things exist, I can't be anything but pro-choice. I can't take away that option from anyone.
It's funny that I first developed my strong views on this issue as a psychology student at a Catholic college, when I was first introduced to the tenet of "do no harm." Am I 100% morally okay with the idea of terminating a pregnancy? Maybe I'm not. But I do believe that our duty is first to the woman who will suffer far more if she is put through an unwanted pregnancy, to the thousands of children who are already alive and struggling with hunger or waiting for adoption, to those who are putting themselves at risk because they don't have access to medical care or a proper education. Planned Parenthood serves these people, which is why I am grateful for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment