I agree with her, right up until she said that if your opinion is: "I'm pro-choice, but I am uncomfortable with... [third-trimester abortion / sex-selection / women who have multiple abortions / women who have abortions for "convenience" / etc.]", that you have an inherent distrust of women.
That is my opinion exactly. I believe that I personally will never have to HAVE an abortion, so I have no say in who does or does not have an abortion. But I'm uncomfortable with women who use abortion as birth control. Should we then have every woman that has an abortion fill out long wordy: "Is abortion right for you?" forms? Hell no! My lack of comfort in women who have abortions out of convenience should have no bearing on the law. I'm just uncomfortable with it.
Does this mean that I don't trust women? How is that not a sexists statement? I don't trust people. I wouldn't trust Britney Spears to perform open-heart surgery on me. Because she's female? No, but because I don't generally trust people that aren't qualified to perform open-heart surgery! I believe in the legalization of drugs, but I wouldn't feel comfortable giving Courtney Love free heroin and painkillers. Not because she's a woman, but because I know she's had problems with it in the past, and because she has a daughter. (who's probably like 25 years old by now, for all I know, but...)
The only reason anyone who identifies as pro-choice would be uncomfortable with women having convenience/third-trimester/sex-selection abortions is because, well, it's only women having abortions right now, isn't it? When men can get pregnant, I will be uncomfortable with GUYS who get abortions "just so they don't have to put up with some screamin' brat".
Again, I'd never put "conditions" on women having abortions, but sometimes I just reserve the right to be uncomfortable with them.
My personal opinion stems more from "what would I do if my girlfriend/wife was debating about aborting a child I'd fathered?" standpoint than an absolute standpoint. Personally, if it were my child, I would advocate abortion if (a) the mother's life was in danger by having the baby (b) there was no hope of the child having a decent life due to extreme birth defects, etc. (c) rape/incest.
Obviously, I would back up my wife/girlfriend if she got pregnant by me in whatever course she chose. When it comes to someone else's body, obviously I don't have much say in the issue.
The world is a grey place with few absolute situations that work all the time. Personally, I consider it the height of sinful pride for anyone to claim theirs is the only "true" point of view.
Excellent article - I think reframing the debate like this might help convince more people of the importance of keeping abortion legal in the US. Then again, I could easily be wrong because on an emotional level, I am completely baffled by the anti-choice position.
What I especially like about the essay/post is that it reframes the debate in terms of All Those Slutty Women Having Rampantly Having Abortions For Fun.
Which, in the eyes of many, I am one.
So are most of the women I know.
The more I think about it, the more I want to pump my fist in the air.
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Date: 2005-07-29 01:45 pm (UTC)I agree with her, right up until she said that if your opinion is: "I'm pro-choice, but I am uncomfortable with... [third-trimester abortion / sex-selection / women who have multiple abortions / women who have abortions for "convenience" / etc.]", that you have an inherent distrust of women.
That is my opinion exactly. I believe that I personally will never have to HAVE an abortion, so I have no say in who does or does not have an abortion. But I'm uncomfortable with women who use abortion as birth control. Should we then have every woman that has an abortion fill out long wordy: "Is abortion right for you?" forms? Hell no! My lack of comfort in women who have abortions out of convenience should have no bearing on the law. I'm just uncomfortable with it.
Does this mean that I don't trust women? How is that not a sexists statement? I don't trust people. I wouldn't trust Britney Spears to perform open-heart surgery on me. Because she's female? No, but because I don't generally trust people that aren't qualified to perform open-heart surgery! I believe in the legalization of drugs, but I wouldn't feel comfortable giving Courtney Love free heroin and painkillers. Not because she's a woman, but because I know she's had problems with it in the past, and because she has a daughter. (who's probably like 25 years old by now, for all I know, but...)
The only reason anyone who identifies as pro-choice would be uncomfortable with women having convenience/third-trimester/sex-selection abortions is because, well, it's only women having abortions right now, isn't it? When men can get pregnant, I will be uncomfortable with GUYS who get abortions "just so they don't have to put up with some screamin' brat".
Again, I'd never put "conditions" on women having abortions, but sometimes I just reserve the right to be uncomfortable with them.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-29 03:14 pm (UTC)*clapping*
no subject
Date: 2005-07-29 07:38 pm (UTC)Obviously, I would back up my wife/girlfriend if she got pregnant by me in whatever course she chose. When it comes to someone else's body, obviously I don't have much say in the issue.
The world is a grey place with few absolute situations that work all the time. Personally, I consider it the height of sinful pride for anyone to claim theirs is the only "true" point of view.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-29 08:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-29 09:49 pm (UTC)Which, in the eyes of many, I am one.
So are most of the women I know.
The more I think about it, the more I want to pump my fist in the air.