Pro-Choice - Abortion is a very controversial subject that has been argued over the past few years.

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Pro-Choice

Abortion is a very controversial subject that has been argued over the past few years. The main argument behind this highly debated topic lies in the question “Should abortion remain legalized?” Depending on your answer to this question, you can be categorized in either two of the main sides dealing with the abortion issue; the pro-life side or the Pro-choice side. The pro-life side believes in the legalization of abortion. They are against abortion all together. The Pro-choice side includes those who believe it is the woman’s right, and no other, to choose if she wants to have an abortion. This does not mean pro-choicers believe abortion is always the answer, or even that abortion is always justified. The pro-choice solution becomes abortion under reasons and circumstances they feel are necessary. Pro-lifers think just the opposite; despite whatever reasons a woman may wish to turn to abortion, pro-lifers believe abortion is never the answer.

"I cannot project the degree of hatred required to make those women run around in crusades against abortion. Hatred is what they certainly project, not love for the embryos, which is a piece of nonsense no one could experience, but hatred, a virulent hatred for an unnamed

object...Their hatred is directed against human beings as such, against the

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mind, against reason, against ambition, against success, against love,

against any value that brings happiness to human life. In compliance with the dishonesty that dominates today's intellectual field, they call themselves 'pro-life.'” (Rand 1).

Abortion is “the destruction of the fetus or unborn child while still in the mother’s womb” (Webster 3). Pro-life is against abortion in all cases. They believe abortion is immoral and simply define it as murder. They also believe that “from the moment of conception, the embryo or fetus is alive,” and because of that, “we have a moral obligation to preserve it” (“Life Before Birth” 2). Although pro-lifers strongly believe this, there is no scientific consensus as to when human life begins. It is merely based upon opinion of religious beliefs. The sperm and eggs are, in fact, alive, but only represent potential a potential human being. Pro-lifers still believe that abortion is the murder of a person, but is it? Personhood at conception is a religious belief, not a provable biological fact. An unborn baby’s heart “begins to beat between the eighteenth and twenty-fifth day” (“Quick Facts” pars. 1-2). It’s brain begins to function “as early as forty days”, when the first electrical brain waves are recorded (“Quick Facts” pars. 3-4). Others say personhood begins at the first sign of a heartbeat, but again, it is not a proven fact.

Pro-choice is the other side to the abortion argument. This does not mean all of the pro-choice beliefs are exactly opposite pro-life. In fact, dividing the issue into sides creates many misunderstandings of both. Being that pro-life is

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against abortion at all costs, they are in favor of forced motherhood. This is exactly what pro-choice is against. Pro-choice covers the broad middle ground on the abortion issue. Pro-choice people include those who are personally against abortion, who feel uncomfortable with it, or even who would never agree to have one themselves, but who would not force their views onto all women by passing a law. Pro-choice does not encourage abortion in any way. It simply defends the right of women to decide for themselves. Pro-choice believes that every woman is entitled to the right of privacy in dealing with her own body, as stated in the fourth amendment of the Bill of Rights. It grants every American the right to privacy, and when concerning abortion, provides the opportunity and choice for a woman to do what she wishes with her body. The National Abortion Right Act League argues that without legal abortion, women would be denied their constitutional right to privacy and liberty. A woman should be the only person able to dictate what will happen to her body; a law should not dictate it for her. Because a pregnancy involves the woman, it seems only fair that the choice of whether or not she wants to continue that pregnancy or abort it should be her decision. Pro-choice fights that whether the woman is mentally and physically capable of caring for the child, or financially stable enough to raise the child, or simply doesn’t want it, she has the right to make her own decisions. According to Joyce Arthur, a member of the Pro-choice Action Network, “The pro-choice movement supports and works towards preventing unwanted pregnancies,

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reducing abortion, promoting contraception, educating woman and youth, and ensuring families have the necessary resources to raise healthy, happy children.”

No one should ever be able to tell a woman what she must do with her body. Before 1973, abortion was illegal in this country, forcing millions of women to obtain illegal and unsafe abortions. Between 1946 and 1972 it is estimated that there were “anywhere from 11 million to 32 million” abortions such as these. This also resulted in the deaths of over “7,000 women nation wide” (“Abortion Statistics” 3). At this time, abortion was illegal; women’s constitutional rights were taken away. However, they were given back after the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973. This case “recognized abortion as a fundamental constitutional right and made it legal in all states” (“Abortion Rights” 2). When the decision was passed, abortion was illegal in two thirds of states, making back alley abortions very common. With abortions legal, the number of deaths caused from abortions in a 26-year period dropped from 7,000 (1946-1972) to 500 between 1973 and 1999” (“Abortion Statistics” 3).

There is no real answer to this controversy. There are two separate sides to it. Either you are extreme or the other; there is no in between. Because the abortion conflict is so black and white, not allowing room for any gray, I chose to defend the pro-choice argument. I understand the reasoning and beliefs of

pro-life, and even share many of their views. But I choose to be pro-choice because I do not fully agree with every aspect of pro-life. I disagree with pro-life because I feel that there are some cases when abortion is justified. Pro-life

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believes abortion is never the answer, and that it is always a sin, regardless of the circumstances. Wouldn’t you agree that abortion should at least be legitimate for victims of rape or incest who have no other alternative? Pro-life does not.

Although pregnancy from rape is considered extremely rare, it is not nonexistent. “Rare”, or even “extremely rare,” doesn’t mean “never.” Even if it were possible to say that pregnancy from rape or incest only occurred once for only one woman, pro-life doesn’t make an exception for her. An anti-abortionalist said in an interview “…the woman has been subjected to an ugly trauma, and she needs love, support and help. But she has been the victim of one violent act. Should we now ask her to be a party to a second violent act- that of abortion?” I believe the woman has the right to choose to do whatever she wants, and that she won’t be being a party to “a second violent act.” Does a victim of rape need to be considered a sinner if she wishes to abort her baby? A victim of incest? Should you support the fight for a law to illegalize abortion that could force you to bear a rapist’s child? Pro-lifers would answer, “Yes” to these questions because they think abortion under any circumstances is a sin. I disagree. I completely believe that in cases of rape or incest, for example, abortion is justified. I feel the same towards high-risk pregnancies as well, in which the birth of the baby poses a threat to the life of the mother. According to an Abortion Approval poll, 90% of Americans accept abortion when the life/health of the mother is at risk, 75% agree its okay in cases of rape or incest, 40% agree its okay when the family

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can’t afford the child or have too many children already, 28% approve abortion to finish school, 25% would abort a child if they weren’t married, 16% think its okay to use as a method of birth control, and 2% or Americans would use abortion for sex selection.

"Abortion is a moral right—which should be left to the sole discretion of the woman involved; morally, nothing other than her wish in the matter is to be considered. Who can conceivably have the right to dictate to her what disposition she is to make of the functions of her body?" (Rand 4). If a woman makes the choice to have an abortion, it is her decision to do so. No one can decide for a woman what to do with her body. If a woman wishes to have an abortion, the option of abortion should be available to her. Abortion should be legal, and remain legal, simply because making it illegal would cause more harm than good. A law forbidding abortion wouldn’t lessen the need for abortions. People would continue having abortions. “Well-intentioned but unskilled practitioners would perforate uteruses, misjudge the length of gestation, do incomplete abortions, and otherwise botch the procedure. Women’s health would suffer and the death rates soar. Women of even greater numbers would be forced to turn to more back alley abortions, the coat hanger trick, or even forcing themselves down a flight of stairs. Pro-choice doesn’t necessarily mean that if you were to get pregnant you’d have an abortion; it just allows you to have the choice to do so if you needed or wanted to for whatever reason. And further, it’s about having

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control over your body and being able to decide for yourself, not what some politician or legislature thinks is right for all women.