Abortion – Why is it so controversial?
“When the penalty for aborting after rape is more severe than the penalty for rape, that’s when you know it’s a war on women.” - Via Twitter after the abortion ban in Texas. Abortion has always been a divisive debate; whether a woman deserves ownership over her body, or whether the government decides that for her. Ironically, the term ‘pro- life’ describes people who claim to value ‘life’, but are advocating for the lives of women to get destroyed every day.
Abortion laws in many countries still prohibit a woman from having the right to make a choice for her own body, based on the argument that abortion is ‘murder’. However, women have been oppressed for centuries and stealing away this right is another example of this oppression taking place today. “It has always been about controlling women and never about ‘saving lives’” - Anonymous, via Twitter. To this day, there are 26 countries where abortion is illegal, regardless of whether the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. Multiple other countries have harsh unfair rules with reference to the time period, factors and circumstances where abortion is legalized.
Women who are pregnant as a result of rape or incest, women who are impoverished and struggling to support themselves, women with fatal illnesses, women whose children have been diagnosed with severe abnormalities, women in abusive relationships and unstable conditions, women who could die during childbirth, women who simply feel they are not ready for such a huge commitment, all deserve this basic human right. So, to be forced into, what will arguably be the most life-changing incident one ever experiences defies the very concept of individual freedom.
“If you didn’t want a baby, why did you get pregnant in the first place?” It is well established, that this is a form of slut-shaming used by men in positions of power, in their trade against abortion. There are millions of people who are alive and suffering through the most brutal conditions, so it seems that improving their plight and fighting for their rights should be a greater priority than saving the lives of foetuses. Given that our planet is breaking from the burden of overpopulation, humanity deserves to focus on improving the quality of life of those that are living. Having a child is a massive responsibility that should not be treated lightly…..and women deserve the right to refuse it. Why is something that is so obviously a basic human right and often a necessity, so controversial and stigmatized?
“The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to their well- being and dignity… When the government controls that decision for women, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.” – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
