Pro Educated Choice
Originally published at Pittsburgh Girlie. You can comment here or there.
I’ve been throwing around the idea of a post like this. It’s fairly controversial though and I was worried about stirring up a lot of emotions without being able to provide substantial evidence, research, etc. My first, very snarky, thought for this post was, “I am pro-abortion! I think more people should have them!” This definitely oversimplifies how I feel and also is the wrong message. I am definitely not willy-nilly about this kind of thing. It’s a very personal decision, it should remain that way, women should have these options. It’s my body and it’s my right to be educated about it and make decisions regarding my carrying, birthing, and possibly raising a child.
Last night a health care reform bill was passed in the House, barely. It was by 5 votes. I do not believe that health care is a right. It is a luxury in the society we have evolved. I do believe, however, that in this society it is absolutely unacceptable that any person should be without it if they so choose. Health insurance companies should not be for-profit either, that is most definitely not in line with the mission statements I was able to find. UPMC’s Overview and Highmark’s Vision, Mission, & Values.
A big item in this bill that passed last night was dealing with the use of Federal money to pay for abortions. An amendment was added to the bill that dictates when money authorized by this bill can and cannot be used to perform abortions. I do not know how Federal funds are being used now for health care. I would like to know more, but with the amount of crap that is out there versus the time I have to sift through it and then process it, I just do not have that luxury.
We’ve all seen those nasty anti-abortion posters people hold up lining the streets going to Magee Women’s Hospital. Guess what? Birth (natural or cesarean) is also nasty, traumatic (for both child and mother), and painful. I remember being ill after having to watch The Miracle of Life in health class in middle school. Nasty. This poster tactic plays on your guilt. Frankly I’d feel a lot more guilty bringing a child into the world that I know or think I wouldn’t be able to provide for or that I know won’t have a decent quality of life. And yes, I as the mother, would be the one to determine the values for the quality of life. Guilt is also a piss poor way to keep children from having children. Just look at the statistics.
Educating people about their bodies should not involve making them feel guilty about the outcome. I didn’t know how sex worked, but I was damn sure that I would get pregnant as soon as my vagina touched a penis. And no I won’t use a cutesy word for vagina or penis. Oprah has done more damage for sex health and education in calling it a va-jay-jay.
Here I could make a sweeping statement about the moral integrity lacking in politicians, with their “family values and illicit affairs” but sweeping statements and generalities are poor excuses for arguments. Instead I’d like to argue that no one else should get to make this decision for me or worse take this choice away from me or any other woman. Dear Politicians, Get out of my uterus! I am pro-choice. Pro Educated Choice. No one is anti-life.
Do not argue religion with me. Religion is not a valid argument here for a political debate, in fact it is changing the subject. Don’t fall for that. If abortion is against your religion and you CHOOSE to follow that, than it was your choice. That is totally acceptable in my book. I may not agree with you, but you had the choice. You get to make the choice for you, not for anyone else. No one ever said this choice would be easy either. If you find, or have found, yourself faced with this decision, you will live with your decision for a long time.
What is not acceptable in my book is religion having a place in law. A person is not evil simply because they do not believe in God. Conversely, a person is not good because they do, or because they attend church. This guilt or innocence by association is, quite frankly, bullshit. The choice is for the woman and anyone else she chooses; be it her doctor, partner, family, or religion. The keyword here is choice. It is her responsibility to make an educated choice.