This is an introductory post. I will be doing my very best to properly describe my opinion on abortion. I hope that you take the time to read this and I hope that you leave feedback. This issue is very complicated, and my emotions toward it are as well.
As I sit here, in the dark, I would like to express my feelings on the complicated and controversial subject of abortion. I find myself an a rather unpleasant predicament, however, as I cannot seem to find the proper words to fully express myself. Even with an extended vocabulary, it is hard to piece emotion and the written word together. I shall try, though, and this will only be published if I am confident enough in my success. I'm not a very confident person, though.
I find myself becoming depressed quite often, unfortunately. Not at my circumstances. I am, in fact, doing very well, and am so thankful for my good fortune, and I would love to find a way to spread my good fortune to others, to help them. That is the issue, others' pain, you see. I focus so much on the pain of others, the circumstances of others, and it really brings me down. Reality sucks, man.
I have noticed that I have become more and more timid as time goes on. My voice is losing its volume. My heart is losing its confidence. I am scared of offending, terrified that I might not express myself as well as I would like.
Let me begin, though. I tend to ramble, so I apologize in advance for that.
I am neither Pro-Life nor Pro-Choice. Now, before you bite my head off for saying "Pro-Life," I would like to mention that some of them are truly Pro-Life, whereas others are simply Anti-Choice. I am thankful to have met wonderful people on both sides, and even some like myself who use neither title. Now, let me explain, please, what I mean by my lack of political title:
I feel that the political titles are misleading, and sometimes, perhaps, over-broad in definition. For example, it must be clarified in the "Pro-Life" stance that it only refers to the abortion topic, and only applies to human fetuses to the human's natural death. It is not Pro-Life (in overall definition) for animals, for trees, and it is not against the death penalty. The Pro-Life title is simply for the abortion debate, and that is why I disagree with its use. If I shared the beliefs of the "Pro-Life" side, I would find it far more appropriate and far less confusing and over-broad by calling myself "Pro-Right-To-Be-Born; or Pro-Birth." For an antagonistic view, it could be "Pro-Forced-Birth," which would still be on par with the beliefs.
Now, I disagree with the Pro-Choice title, because it too appears over-broad at times. It does not concern itself with fetal choice. Nor does it have anything to do with the choice of those other than the pregnant woman, and in the same respect, it is also limited to abortion. Pro-Choice does not mean that everyone should be allowed to choose, well, anything (murder, rape, whatever). It only applies to the abortion debate (well, and medical ethics, haha, but I digress). If I could rename the political affiliation, I would change it to "Pro-Reproductive-Autonomy-Rights," or perhaps "Pro-Autonomy." Antagonistically, it could be called "Anti-Right-To-Birth."
Now that that is over, I hope that you understand why I do not accept either title. Besides, I support human life, healthy and otherwise, guilty or innocent. Perhaps it is a survival for the species thing, though I also support animal rights, and support the environment. After all, without the Earth, we humans won't be able to live, anyway. I don't understand why there is so much senseless destruction of our natural resources. And I also don't understand why people treat animals so cruelly that they will eat, like cows, for example. It's heartbreaking. And then there are those who poach, kill endangered animals... And they don't care. The won't care. Not until they are the endangered ones.
Personally, I see abortion as a tragedy.
Let me clarify, please, before you judge me. I believe that it is a tragedy, not because of what it is, but because it is needed at all. I find many medical procedures a tragedy. I feel that it is a tragedy that they exist, because we need them. Chemotherapy is a tragedy. It isn't wrong, but it makes me sad that we need it, because we do not yet have a cure to cancer. Likewise, with abortion, we do not yet have a fully effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies in a huge population. Some may say that abstinence is the only effective way, or sterilization, but these solutions ignore the lifestyles and choices of people other than the ones preaching those options. I think that abstinence and sterilizations are certainly appropriate options for individuals, but I also think that we should consider those who do not think so--those who do not wish to be sterilized or refrain from sex. If only we could find a way, other than via sterilization and abstinence, for women to, essentially, "shut off" their reproductive capabilities. So far, this has not been achieved. And this is why I think abortion is a tragedy. We lack the ability to prevent it.
And I don't particularly want to hear about how making it illegal would prevent it. Prevention does not come by changing the law. For example, murder is illegal, but it still happens. The law doesn't change it. What the law does, when criminalizing something, is punish those that get caught committing this crime. It is not my opinion though that abortion need be a crime. I do not see it as a crime, perhaps because I support the principle of autonomy, and I don't like the idea of forced medical conditions or medical procedures on persons. I also don't appreciate the idea that a woman must be a life-support machine whenever she becomes pregnant, regardless of her health needs, or her mental health, or how she became pregnant. It is this lack of consideration for women that also keeps me from choosing a political title.
It may be professed that adoption would be a viable solution to the abortion issue. I believe this is the argument that most upsets me. Why? Because it's not only false, but is also an extreme presentation of the lack of consideration or compassion for the pregnant woman. It pays no attention to the woman at all. It only pays care for those who cannot naturally bear children of their own and desire a child--and when I say child, I mean they desire a newborn infant. Not a child. Not an older child at all. Thousands of children right now are available for adoption via the Foster Care system. Yet, year after year, day after day, second after second, they are ignored! Why are they ignored? Because those seeking to adopt tend to demand a BABY, not an older child that they may call "damaged." It's a cruel mockery of the "Pro-Life" cause. Yes, adoption is an option, unless the child is not a newborn baby. To say that it is an option, while ignoring those who need it most... I only have one word for that: Hypocrisy.
Here's a fact: Most women who give birth choose to parent their child. So why doesn't the "Pro-Life" side focus on that? Because they don't understand the decision to abort at all. That's why. They may think they understand, but that's just another lie. If they understood, they wouldn't be promoting adoption. They do not focus on parenting, because they have accepted the incorrect idea that a child that is aborted is not wanted by its mother.
And that's just hilarious because they say that mothers are selfless, but suddenly, when a mother decides to abort, she's the most selfish cruel bitch on the planet and nothing is worse than it ever. They take no consideration in abortions performed for fetal abnormality. They also take no concern for why the woman has decided to abort in the first place. It's easier, for them, to judge her for aborting, than to help her find the resources to parent--maybe she was concerned about financial security? Well, instead of trying to find a way for her to be more financially secure, and instead of seeing this as a problem for us all because it is a tragedy that people should feel financially insecure, they judge her for it, and would rather make abortion illegal while it is necessary than to solve the problems behind abortion. It's easier to judge and hate than it is to truly fix things.
I have found that "Pro-Choicers," too, tend to overlook things like that. I feel that abortion should be legal because it is necessary. I would like to see things change in a manner that abortion is not illegal, but is not needed. For example, a more effective way of preventing unplanned pregnancies from occurring, preventing fetal deformities, strengthening the health care system, aiding those that feel financially insecure, and helping women who would like to parent their children be educated on parenting, on all of her options really, and to be fully informed of her decision (and supported). I don't like the idea of allowing doctors to lie to their patients. I don't like forced medical procedures.
I tend to focus on "why's" more than "what's" I think.
I truly care for the woman. I care for the fetus too, but I think that it is critical that we care for the woman first--after all, without the woman, there is no fetus anyway. I would love to see more support for women who choose to be child-free, or choose to be a stay-at-home-mom. I would love to see more support for women in general.
I suppose, though, politically, I really don't know what I am.
I suppose, perhaps, you can decide. I hope that you enjoyed this piece. I hope to post more on this site. I would like to thank you for reading this, and to apologize if I have offended you. You may message me with any question/comment/whatever. Or you can post it in the comments. I will do my very best to be respectful, but I am human (haha).