The Struggle for Pro-Choice

by Ashes

I believe that I should begin this article by telling you that my bias is a strong one. I am working in a university clinic that deals with sex related issues. Contraception, STD information, the practice of 'safe sex', premartial sex and abortion are just a few of the issues that I cover in my day to day life. This article may not be filled with anything but personal opinion but it is important for me to put my opinion out there so that the young girls that are subjected to the hate filled actions of religious and anti-abortion groups have something to think about from the other side.

As far as my position on religion goes, I must state that I am not religious and I do not believe in a God that has been labelled or created by any religion. I was born a Catholic but never chose follow it. As far as I am concerned the purpose for mankind's religion creation is simply a means of answering the unknown through dogma. That is something, as a human who is filled with unanswered questions, that I can understand if not support. But how can we support the hate that surrounds a concept (religion) that is suppose to help people rejoice and uplift their spirits. I have forced my way through the constant picket lines of men and women screaming hateful words and calling me a murder. I am not a murder and I am not a bad person. I help people. I can not support the position of anti-abortion because I think it is more detramental to society and mothers than it is helpful. I have seen young mothers at the age of 14 who were too ignorant to understand the consequences of their actions and who were in no way prepared to raise a child because they were simply children themselves. I have seen young girls who didn't have an abortion, because of some religious influence, give up their children for adoption and loose every part of themselves when their child was taken from them. I have seen young babies of drug addicted women that have died or been born addicted to some form of narcotic. I am not saying that every young girl or unprepared expecting mother should choose abortion, but I am saying that they should all have the choice.

Religious groups have told us that God does not support sex before marraige, that we are killing our babies through abortion and that makes us murderers, that contraception is a creation of the devil. Well I can't help but laugh at their ignorance. As far as I am concerned sex is not only a means of procreation but also an expression of love. Our sexual desire is a natural thing, and I am not going to commit the fallacy that all that is natural is good, but I am going to say that why would their God have created a gift in us to unite our bodies in an expression of love if it is only for those we are married to. It doesn't seem right to me. I don't believe that people should have sex if they are unprepared for possible consequences, but I do believe that people should have sex before marraige if they feel it is the right thing and they are prepared for all possible consequences. I have worked with many women who, through saving themselves for marraige, have experienced sex that was not 'right' for them, and if they were not married would be legally considered rape. But they didn't know what they liked and disliked, what they were comfortable with and what they weren't. Because of this they were unable to enjoy their bodies and their partners and eventually their marraige.

As long as premarital continues, abortion will continue. I do not believe that this is an evil. Women should not consider this a form of contraception but they should consider it an option if they are put in the position where they are unprepared for a pregnancy that is not wanted. A fetus in not truly considered a human being until roughly the third month. Abortions only happen before that period, never after unless there is a medical problem that may threaten the life of the child or will threaten the life of the expecting mother. So this can't be considered murder, if there is no human being to kill. I can't believe that religion's such as the Christian, Jewish, Muslim etc can shout the words "murderer" and point fingers when they themselves, through supporting their religion, have slaughtered millions of people through out history because of forcing their religious belief on others, who have hated because something went against what their religion told them was wrong with out ever considering what was wrong about it for themselves. I am so sick of the self-righteousness of the religious bodies that hate and point the finger at people like me, who are working to help people make the best decision for themselves and their lives.

I may not have convinced you with any statistics or doctor's quotes, but that was not my goal, I was simply trying to show that there are so many contradictions in the religious world reguarding anti-abortion and contraception, that one should stop and take a look at both sides before they decide which one to support. All that is good is usually done out of pure and true love and all that is bad is done out of pure hate. That statement alone can tell you where the inconsistencies in the anti-abortion and premarital sex fight lay. Support what you believe to be good and true and allow people to have the right to choose what they believe for themselves. Hate is what kills the people in this world, the anti-abortionist should remember that before they decide to call me or anyone else who supports pro-choice a murder.