Words and Stuff..: May 2017

Abortion : Slaughter of the defenseless or Lifeboat for the innocent?

Abortion is one of the most discussed topics nowadays. Justice seekers disagree on the nature of this medical practice. Some claim, it is an issue of human rights, stating that a woman should be able to rule over her body, these people are pro-choice. Others claim that abortion is murder, and assume that a fetus is a human being that the termination of a pregnancy will kill. They say that they are pro-life. The debate between those two groups is centered on whether or not abortion should be made legal. This argument has been around for a long time, from years as early as 1973. And even though the debate has been alive for decades, the main ideas that both parties support are chiefly still the same, which makes the debate inconclusive. In other words, the question remains, should or shouldn’t abortion be legal?

No matter where you stand on the issue, and whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, you cannot deny the heavy load that pregnancy is on the pregnant woman. According to the “American Academy of Family Physicians “ a pregnant woman will go through various discomforts such as morning sickness, tiredness, changes in several of her body parts, mood-swings, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, constipation, and even heartburn, all of which occur in the first trimester. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that pregnancy will demand radical alterations in the pregnant woman’s diet and way of life, since, according to experts, some women may need to gain weight. And weight gain, especially in women, prompts anxiety about body image. Aside from all that, a pregnancy can cause serious depression. The woman will experience hopelessness, suicidal thoughts and constant melancholy, and despite there being treatments, the illness could be confused for a mood swing and might go unnoticed, which, as asserted by “The American Pregnancy Association “ can be as dangerous for the mother as it is for the fetus. Not to mention, that the result of a successful pregnancy is parenthood, which is not a walk in the park either. So, pregnancy and parenthood can both stand in the way of a woman’s promise and ambitions.

Pregnancy takes a lot from a woman, so does parenthood. With that said, does the woman not deserve the right to choose whether she wants all those pains or not. Is she not the one suffering? Is she not the owner of the body upon which all these burdens are inflicted? Is she not a human being? Should she not have the liberty to end a life changing process if she is not ready to go through with it, for whatever reason she might have? Sarah Weddington, American attorney who represented Roe in Roe v Wade - which is the case where Roe, (real name: Norma McCorvey) a pregnant woman was denied an abortion - says that “A pregnancy to a woman is perhaps one of the most determinative aspects of her life. It disrupts her body. It disrupts her education. It disrupts her employment. And it often disrupts her entire family life. “ she goes on to assert that a woman should have a choice : “And we feel that, because of the impact on the woman, this … is a matter which is of such fundamental and basic concern to the woman involved that she should be allowed to make the choice as to whether to continue or to terminate her pregnancy.“

Tattoos are legal, unhealthy foods are legal, all because we have a right to control what happens to our bodies, if someone wants to get ink permanently plastered on their skin, it’s their right to do so. If someone wants to eat incredibly unhealthy foods, that will most likely harm them in the long run, that is also their right, because it’s their body so their choice. So why shouldn’t a woman have the same freedom when it comes to pregnancy? Margaret Sanger, founder of “Planned Parenthood” (which is a non-profit organization that does research on contraception , family planning and reproductive problems) thinks that :“No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother.“

Moreover, the legislation of Abortion has become an issue of gender equality. For centuries, women were bullied and regarded as the lesser gender, deprived of education and basic human rights. As time passed on, great women such as Millicent Fawcett (speaker for the London National Society for Women's Suffrage 1867) , Betty Friedan (Feminist Writer), and Gloria Steinem (Feminist activist and major leader of the second-wave of the women's rights movement) , all fought to bring equality between the genders. Their message, as feminists was that no gender was better than the other and that we should all be treated as equals. Feminists agree that the legislation of abortion is vital to maintain gender equality. Men don’t get pregnant and therefore don’t experience the restrictions and pressures that accompany a woman with child. Men don’t get chained by stereotypes and social customs. So why should women have to go through all of that? If an unwanted pregnancy comes up, a man can just leave the relationship, the woman, however, does not have that option. And that is simply not fair. A woman should have just as much control over her body as a man has over his. Judith Javis Thomson (Philosopher, published important papers on ethics and the philosophy of law) says that: “... a great deal turns for women on whether abortion is or is not available. If abortion rights are denied, then a constraint is imposed on women's freedom to act in a way that is of great importance to them, both for its own sake and for the sake of their achievement of equality …” Gloria Steinem adds while speaking of her own experience with pregnancy termination: “I knew it was the first time I had taken responsibility for my own life. I wasn’t going to let things happen to me. I was going to direct my life, and therefore it felt positive. “

And let’s not forget that a pregnancy gets in the way of a woman’s career and contribution to society. It stands in the way of her full potential and makes it impossible for women to have a political, social or economic presence that is equal to men’s, seeing that men don’t have to carry fetuses inside their bodies, go through the pains of childbirth or have to nurse and take care of a completely dependent baby for several months after delivery.

But all of that doesn’t mean that the pro-lifers are completely in the wrong. In their opinion, abortion is murder. Why? Because it is their belief that life starts at conception. In other words, abortion is the assassination of an innocent, defenseless human life. In fact, Dr. Alfred M. Bongioanni, professor of pediatrics and obstetrics at the University of Pennsylvania, states: “I have learned from my earliest medical education that human life begins at the time of conception…. I submit that human life is present throughout this entire sequence from conception to adulthood and that any interruption at any point throughout this time constitutes a termination of human life…” In other words, abortion, among these groups, is perceived as murder instead of justice for women. They see it as the slaughter of defenseless babies, instead of an agent acting as a lifeboat for innocent women whose lives might be ruined if they go through with a pregnancy. These groups think that a fetus qualifies as a person, even though it can’t reason or make decisions or learn. The idea that “life begins at conception”, which is the main argument that pro-lifers use, while correct, is actually irrelevant. Simply because, though this cluster of cells is alive, it does not qualify as a person. And therefore, its rights should not be more important than the rights of the mother, who is, without a doubt, a person.

In conclusion, abortion is a woman’s right if she sees ending her pregnancy fit. Therefore it should not only be legal, but also made safely available to all the women that need it, regardless of their social class or financial status. Abortion should be an option for all women, simply because the female half of the population should have the power to control their bodies. Also, abortion is essential for gender equality and is definitely an element of justice and not a tool for murder as some pro-lifers would claim.

by Mada El-Horr