A Dirty Word? Notes on Abortion

Abortion has long been a hot-bed issue for America, with debates between opposing sides resulting in little, if any, change in the beliefs of either party. While pro-lifers hold fast to the belief that abortion denies babies their right to life, pro-choicers believe that abortion gives women the right to control their bodies - namely, their ability to have or not to have a child. While I am pro-choice, I believe that this pro-choice argument only scratches the surface regarding the importance of having the right to abortion. Women should have the right to control their bodies, but this argument does not delineate why this is so important.

Having the ability to control one's body and whether or not - or when - it bears a child is crucial because the ability to do so affects the life of the mother. If abortion was not an option for women, women would be forced into the role of mother against their will or before they had hoped to become a mother. From the moment a child is born, the mother and, hopefully, the father, will have to focus their lives almost completely on that child if that child is to grow up healthy and emotionally stable. For this reason, being able to choose when and if women have children gives women the chance to control a their entire future. For this reason, the argument that being able to control one's body is a necessary right must be understood from the perspective that having control over one's body directly affects the rest of one's life.

Being able to control when and if a woman has a child also affects the life of the child in question. As mentioned, if a child is to mature into a happy, well-adjusted adult, he or she requires a great deal of love and care from his or her parent(s). If that child was born against his or her mother's will, it is likely that this mother would have the motivation to provide as much devotion to the child as would be required. This is not to say that women who want abortions are unloving, but having a child is labor. For some, it is a labor of love because that child was desired. For other, it is simply labor, because that child was not wanted.

In response to this argument, pro-lifers might say that women with unwanted children can place their child up for adoption. But who is to say that this child will find a loving home? Having experience in the field of foster care and adoption, it is not easy to find a good home for all children and not all children will find a home. And for those who are adopted, many feel a strong desire to understand why they were placed up for adoption and feel a sense of loss for their biological parents. Is it fair to saddle children with this burden so early in life?

This is why, when I hear arguments such as those from Nevada Republican Senate candidate, Sharron Angle, that abortion is wrong because conception, no matter what the circumstances, is part of "God's plan," infuriate me. For some people, having children is a wonderful experience that is long awaited. For others, an unexpected pregnancy can completely alter their lives in ways they never dreamed of or in ways they had dreaded. For the child subjected to a life led as a man or woman's regret, they have been set up for a life of deep despair. It is not fair to either the unwanted child or to the parents to which he or she was born. For the sakes of the lives of those involved, women should be able to control their bodies.

There are many other reasons why I believe abortion should be a woman's right, and these are often covered in the media. I wanted to touch on the argument about a woman's right to a future she has planned for, however, because it is often overlooked. As a woman with plans of her own, I hope that should I ever become unexpectedly pregnant, I will still have the ability to choose the path for myself - and for that child - that is right for both of us.