Women's Rights and Health Insurance Reform

[zandperl]

An open letter to my senators and representatives.

I am writing to you today regarding the health care reform bill currently before the house and senate

Comments

Re: About abortion

[lurfmonkey]

I realize my comment was oversimplified and condescending, and I apologize. I know there are consequences beyond monetary concerns for unwanted or dangerous pregnancies. I just think people put a lot of emphasis on the fixing of the problem rather than the prevention. The bill addresses some of that. Nobody wants to get an abortion, but I feel that while there's not enough education out there about contraception, there's also not enough education out there about what an abortion entails. Many women don't really learn about it until it's too late. I think tax dollars would be well spent on that. But if it does happen, then yes, you should have the option of abortion, and it should be your choice after adequate counselling on options. Using taxpayer money for it doesn't sit well with me, but if the woman has no other reasonable choice, then I guess I'm ok with it. But in relation to the open letter, I don't think the bill takes a step backward. It just doesn't go forward very much.

Abortion is a very conflicting subject for me. On the one hand I believe in a woman's right to choose and the many reasons for not going through with a pregnancy, but on the other hand, I'm adopted. I'm Vietnamese and was born during the Vietnam War. I could have easily been aborted. After all, what chance does a baby born to a single mother in a war torn country have? Yet I've lived a very happy and productive life. My mother could have easily decided I didn't stand a chance. Perhaps she even only went through with it because she couldn't afford an abortion. If she had had adequate insurance, would I be alive right now? It's hard for me to completely get behind affordable abortions, even though I know they are necessary in many cases. I'd also like people to consider adoptions more when they can't conceive. Too many people are hell bent on having their child share their genes when so many other children need parents. Being a parent doesn't have to be about DNA.