Please post your blog responses to the week 12 readings on abortion here!
22 thoughts on “Week 12 readings”
Liz
Women seem to hold the responsibility of pregnancy prevention and the unintended pregnancy by themselves. Men often take no responsibility at all. Although there is a gender imbalance when it comes to responsibilities regarding preventing unwanted pregnancy there is also an imbalance between what services are available to women. Although middle class women also have abortions they often have less due to the opportunities available. These opportunities provide the women with more motivation to avoid pregnancy. When they do have abortions they also have access to better facilities. The article by Jenny Higgins suggests that abortion clinics often have rushed services due to the number or women they have to serve.
As we have discussed in previous classes, there is a lack of contraceptive discussion in school. If we were able to implement a better sexual education in school systems, there would be less need for abortions. Although my sexual education through school didn’t meet its potential, I believe my family was helpful in answering my questions or encouraging me to seek out my own answers. I would also hope to see more expansive opportunities made available to lower class women. I agree with the article when it mentions that motivation is one of the main reasons why middle class women avoid unwanted pregnancies. For myself, I have goals of going to graduate school. I take almost every precaution I can not to become pregnant before or during that time. It is very important to me to do well in school and in my chosen career. That is one of the main reasons why I have no plan to be pregnant anytime soon.
Nemo
Abortion: A Matter of Choice by Judy Simmons started with what I thought were your typical go to the abortion clinic story. Most accounts of abortion have followed the same theme, which in itself demonstrates that women who have gone through this share a lot more than being just an abortion statistic. On page 125 the author I think really gets to her point, and the passion of her argument comes out in her writing….what about all those injustices inequalities and unfairness occurring to living people, to living children rather than focusing on a ball of cells that may or may not become a human being. I really liked her discussion of the mythical castle we as a culture (I cannot speak for other cultures) have built around wondrous motherhood, that it is this intrinsically special and sacred time. Get real, like she says…It doesn’t take a creative genius or intellectual giant to have sex and reproduce another human animal. All animals can do it, so can plants! Just like the author says, it is the difficulty in raising the little human animal into a descent person that separates the women from the girls.
It always shocks and astounds me when it comes to the law, government and abortion, that there should even be a question in a woman’s right to safely choose what happens to her own body. I read about these Acts and about these States that make abortion illegal with disbelief….is this what women want? It can’t be….I just don’t understand how these things can get passed in the United States. I hope some of these politics will be discussed in class.
faves06
In reading, Abortion: A Matter of Choice, I thought of the internship I did last winter break. I shadowed a Nurse Practitioner at a School-Based Health Center in a local high school. At least one pregnancy test a day was considered normal. The nurse, before revealing the results, would talk with the girl about how she planned on providing for this possible child. Most girls said their parents would help them, their boyfriends had jobs or they’d drop out of school to get a job. What they didn’t think about was that if their parents are struggling to support their own children, how will they support a grandchild? Most also said they are against abortion or didn’t have the money for it. The cost of diapers and formula alone would add up to be more than aborting the pregnancy or going on prescription birth control. It was unfortunate to see these girls daily and their lack of education led them there. The nurse would ask the girls (and their boyfriends, if possible) to come back at the end of the day to watch a short film about the consequences of teen pregnancy and to set up an appointment at the local Planned Parenthood to go on birth control. It was frustrating that if they had gotten proper education about using contraceptives, or abstaining from sex, they could go farther than they’ve ever thought about. It seems that most people in this community never get out of it and propel the cycle. And to top it off, none of the administrators or faculty of the high school wanted to get their hands dirty in discussing teen pregnancy as a huge problem at the high school. These girls aren’t being supported at home or at school and are being led to a future of service jobs and minimum wage. I always said that if I got pregnant before I could provide almost primarily for the child then I would consider abortion my only option. I wouldn’t want to impose my consequences on my parents and family. It isn’t fair to them or the child.
Lilly
Abortion, has always been a very sensitive topic in every culture, society, and religion. Some people think that it should be a woman’s choice and some think its a sin. after reading the article, “Abortion: A matter of choice” I came to realize if it’s really a true statement? I remeber when i was growing up in India, we used to watch in the news all the times, how Indian culture is being more and more “Sex Selective” each day. By sex selective i mean aborting the young babies if it’s a female sex. Specially in the areas where people aren’t well educated to this day they think that a girl is a burden on this parents, hence few years ago there was a dramatic drop in the sex ratio of the girl child population. Then how can be say that abortion is only a matter of choice. when i female is not even allowed to keep her baby if it’s a baby girl. I feel like Indian women do not get the Freedom to make decisions regarding one’s reproductive choices as western women do. they just have to follow the rules of their husbands’ and in-laws. I have heard a lot of stories how some husbands’ give divorce to their wives if they can’t give them a baby boy. I mean how sad is that, a female has to abort the child if it’s not a boy and on top of that leave her husband. How devistating!
There has been many laws that are in promoted by the government to not disclose the sex of the fetus to the parents in order to prevent the decline in girl population. I mean, to have a daughter is socially and emotionally accepted if there is a son in the family, but a daughter’s arrival is often unwelcome if the couple already have a daughter. so the unborn girl has to suffer the death sentence before even coming to the world.
I mean India is known as a very culturally/religiously rich country. One side of the coin shows :Abortion is a sin and the other of the side of coin reveals that killing a girl fetus is perfectally acceptable in the culture and society. what should one do in that situation…
the_fallen
The author has dreams of her own, dreams of the perfect American life. She has described how abortion changes along with time. In order words, different time periods, different abortion experiences.
I thought it was interesting when she mentioned that abortion is already stressful enough so why make it worse for women with all the legal matters and social issues? I totally agree with her, women should not be given additional stress about abortions. It is bad enough that they are removing an embryo from their womb and going to feel sick after. I am sure that abortion is not an easy decision and there are mental issues associated with post-abortion. Since abortion is such a big issue, someone always gets blamed so who and how do we choose?
Many men take advantage of poor hearted women, more like girls, who are desperate and need attention. They are at that age where everything seems like a fairytale and that they want it all, they want the perfect life. When the author mentioned that she was pregnant by a teacher and Renee was pregnant by her high school security guard, it makes me wonder what both men and women are thinking. Women, like the author and Renee, seem like they were in desperate need at the time and later realized that they were taken for granted and made a huge mistake. So it is all fantasy? Why fantasized? I wonder if the media portrayal of the “American dream” of a perfect life with the perfect family becoming a social burden to a point where it’s getting young women pregnant? So the questions still remains, who do we blame?
It seems as though domestic violence also plays an important role in women wanting something more, a better life. Growing up and watching your parents abuse each other or one abusing the other seem to fit into finding an answer to “who do we blameâ€. Is it the lack of education that the author seemed to point out when she explained how Renee was not ready for a baby because she had no clue what to do at all.
Do we blame parents for not showing enough care towards their children?
Have some women been broken so bad that they see no way out but to find whoever they think loves them and eventually fall into the living happily ever after.
One interesting fact that the author mentioned was that some parents indirectly warns their girls about consequences of sex but never the safe actions to take if they decide to have sex. I can totally relate to this because my parents, more like my aunts and cousins warned me so much about sex but never said anything positive at all. All they want is for me to not have sex until I am old enough and by old enough they mean like 30. I mean really? Am I really going to wait that long? They didn’t so why should I? I guess I could say thanks to the sexual educations that I have received and now know both the positive and negative sides of having sex and can make my choices.
Blush
Women have many reasons for having an abortion and I strongly believe that no one but the woman making this difficult and emotional decision should tell her what is right or wrong. Sadly, many women who do want abortions either cannot afford them or have no means to attain one and, on the flip side, sometimes a woman does not want to have an abortion but feels that there is no other option or has no support or means of supporting herself. As Jenny Higgins pointed out in the article “Sex, Unintended Pregnancy, and Poverty…”, “abortion can be less a symbol of self-efficacy or ‘choice’ and more an indication of social inequality, social limitations, and reproductive injustice.”
I also appreciated Higgins’s honest account of what it was like working at an abortion clinic where counseling is sometimes sloppy and hasty, the matter of privacy is a joke, and just entering the threshold can make you feel like you are entering some heavily guarded fortress. It has an aura like something forbidden that so many in society believe is a horrendous, unspeakable act of the worst kind of murder. It also never ceases to disgust me how low the pro-life scare tactics and vulgarity will go to try to make women in this predicament of choosing what to do with their pregnancy feel as guilty and alone as possible. Manipulative language, including phrases like “partial birth abortion” and calling the pro-choice movement “pro-abortion” is just a lowly way of trying to scare and manipulate women into doing whatever the pro-life fanatics think is best, which is often more than just tinged with religious rants. Worst of all, abortion is nearly impossible for some women to access in states like Mississippi who have shut down all but one single abortion clinic in the state. And the war against abortion is still raging- there are so many people who want women to have no choice at all. This is exemplified by restrictive laws (like the Hyde Amendment) and some state policies. Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
The “Barriers to Access” article was also very informatice since it talked about the devastating effects of the Hyde Amendment and its impact on women who simply have no way of getting an abortion that they would have wanted to have. As stated in this article, “Even when women have been able to raise the money, the time needed to search for funding makes it more likely that they will have a more costly and difficult second trimester procedure.” To me, this is a fundamental point: again, women are stuck in a paradox, either not having the money at all or raising the money only to then have to endure a more complicated and costly procedure.
Perhaps most importantly of all, this same article pointed out the very true fact that women who have had an abortion are STIGMATIZED. They are portrayed as selfish, lazy, irresponsible, evil, and, more harshly, as immoral “babykillers.” I wince when I hear these words and it’s very hard for women who have had an abortion to deal with the stigma and the lack of any support or understanding from society on top of the very common feelings of sadness, depression, loss, and guilt that often follow an abortion.
I think people need to have some compassion. NO ONE is “pro-abortion.” No one wants to have to have an abortion and no one wants to ever have to make that kind of heart-wrenching decision. But women and their partners do need to make those kinds of decisions and I really believe that the government should stay out of it. As long as women can be educated and informed about sex from the start, the number of abortions will decrease. And for women who have made the very difficult decision to have an abortion, these women need counseling, support, real and honest answers to their questions, and realistic access to abortion services. These women are not bad people, they are not monsters like they are made out to be by so many in society. Women who have abortions think about their choice and struggle with it and it is probably the most difficult and heart-wrenching decision they will ever make. And they live with that decision and all of the memories and feelings that accompany it. Every day.
Finkle
I too was struck by the quote†It doesn’t take a creative genius or intellectual giant to have sex and reproduce another human animal. All animals can do it, so can plants! Just like the author says, it is the difficulty in raising the little human animal into a descent person that separates the women from the girls.”
I could not help but think though that in her mind she was refereeing to the deserving mother vs. the undeserving mother. So how do you know when it is right for you to become a mother? Is it just about finances? Or are there specific things one needs to know about raising a child? So are teenage mothers that keep their babies not doing a great job? What is a quality life? Who determines that? I was a little confused. I do think that women should have a right and say with what they want to do with their bodies despite the fact that my position on this matter does not align with my religious beliefs. The way I see it, I should not decide what someone can or cannot do especially if it has nothing to do with me. I have struggled with this because of my religious and cultural beliefs that view this as wrong but I feel like it is not my place to judge what other people decide to do with their bodies. Even though abortion is illegal in my country of origin, I know of girls that were able to secure safe abortions somehow. I did however like quote†To me, love, sex, marriage, children, goodness and happiness were all wrapped up in one romantic religious package that automatically came in the mail when you were old enoughâ€. This is the way it was presented to me both in religious and cultural settings and is problematic, in my opinion.
TEASE
“…adult women never talked to us realistically about being a woman, lover and motherâ€. I would have to agree with this quote from The Black Women’s Health Book, “Abortion: A Matter of Choice†because of my own experiences. Growing up, my mother never spoke about entering puberty, sex or pregnancy because she thought that I would learn about it in school. She thought I would be smart enough to make good decisions and learn from them. Although I did learn a lot about changes within my body and general sex in school, I feel that it would have affected me greater if I had learned about it from my own mother.
I became sexually active at the age of 15 and was still very naïve and immature about the subject. At that time I never thought about getting pregnant or getting infected with a sexually transmitted disease from my partner. I was actually VERY lucky to have never experienced either of these circumstances. When I got into a very serious relationship, I thought it would be fine to just use the withdrawal method because I trusted my partner. However, I realize now that one little mistake could have changed the rest of my life. If I had gotten pregnant, I would have put my life aside to have a child. I was always taught that abortion was wrong so I was always against it.
After reading this article, I realized that as bad as abortion is, many women just can’t provide for their child, like the author of this article and Renee. Looking back now, I can’t see myself supporting a child, finishing school and having a job all at the same time. I would be missing out on having fun and living life. As grateful as I am to be where I am now, I do wish that my mom or even my aunt would have mentioned what are the consequences if this or that happened. I will be sure to let my child know everything that I’ve learned and hope that he/she will avoid the mistakes I’ve made.
Arewa
I enjoyed reading the article by Judy Simmons. I liked how she compared the two abortion situations between herself and Renee. It’s interesting how similar the two situations are especially since they occurred in two different time periods. I use to be pro-life and now I don’t know what to label myself. When I hear about someone getting pregnant and then they get an abortion I usually get mad or disappointed in the person because I don’t believe killing is right what-so-ever. But one day I stopped and thought about it. I thought about what I would do if I ever was in that situation. Would I keep my baby or would I go through with an abortion. A lot of people are quick to say they would keep the baby because they are not the ones going through the situation. It’s easier said than done. Things are different now, but in high school if I was to ever get pregnant, I honestly don’t know if I would keep my child, which is sad to say. I know my parents, my teachers and my peers would all be disappointed in me. When Judy was talking about how Renee had emotional deficits and was living in a troubled home, I completly understand why she would want to go through with an abortion. She was a very young girl who had no business having a child at such an early age, but of course no one ever expects it to happen to them.
When it comes to young girls having an abortion after getting pregnant for the first time, it more understandable to me then someone who is over the age of 21 and has had multiple abortions. I knew someone in high school who has an older sister who had over 5 abortions. I want to say over 10 but I’m not exactly sure. But I feel like in her case she was being more selfish and less considerate. First of all she never paid for her abortions, from what I heard, her parents did. And also for her to continue to get pregnant and not learning from the first time to use protection is a serious problem. I wish I could ask her why she repeatedly got an abortion.
When Judy was talking about how some girls want a better life and sometimes find it in the wrong places, I realized how true that is. When girls are not recieving love at home they try to find it else where. Sometimes guys take advantage of that. Judy asked Renee, what was a grown man who was married doing with a young girl? Renee’s “boyfriend” probably took advantage of Renee, she thought it was real love and just went with it. Guys stick around until the female get pregnant and they are sometimes quick to tell them to get an abortion. Leaving the girl to deal with the aftermath of it…alone. Bringing these girls back to where they left off, alone and unloved and sometimes left with a baby.
Smile
One of the most controversial issues for women is Abortion. I took a class on the history of sexuality and there was the topic of abortion and how it has been practice for a very long time, since the beginning and it was mostly done especially in the American culture in secret. However now there is much debate around it on whether or not it is morally permissible to have an abortion. In the article Abortion: A matter of choice by Judy D. Simmons she points out a lot of on why abortion should be a women’s choice and how it shouldn’t be banned. She brought up some things that supported pro-choice and how the women should decide whether or not she wants to have a baby or not. She also points out how not all women are fit to be mothers and we should focus on the present situations that we face with children now and that we shouldn’t add more to this problem by putting more children in these problematic situations. She mentions how she is concerned about the child’s quality of life and how we put so much emphasis on how bad abortion is but if you look at it in another point of view it wouldn’t be so bad. I found this article to be very interesting and it brought out some points that were eye opening. Although I do not condone abortion due to many reasons however I feel that a women should make her own decision on whether or not she want to keep the baby and that abortion should be a last resort in some ways, more depending on the situation. Some women out there do use abortion as a means of birth control or a way to not handle the situation they are in, that is more my concern than anything because there are alternate ways of dealing with this situation. Al in all it is the women’s body and she should be able to make decision according to how she feels fit. Overall I think that it is important for all women to have their own choice on what they want to do with their bodies.
Mew
In Fried’s article, Abortions in the U.S.: Barriers to Access, she provides a statistic that claims 1 in 4 American women will have at least one abortion in their life. Despite how common abortions are now and have been historically, there is still this negative stigma associated with them in our society. As Fried points out, even in everyday television or movies, most situations depicting an unwanted pregnancy never even hint at the abortion option. This is something I have always noticed and I get frustrated when any pregnancy scare on the big screen turns into some dramatic ordeal about how they’re going to raise the future child, without even a slight mention of choosing not to have the baby. Granted, having to take care of a baby and the potential life-changing event having a child brings does make for a much better TV drama then aborting the pregnancy and moving on with life. Still, I think the fact that abortions are never even considered as an option, and the fact that there’s this sort of glorification of becoming a mother, tells us a little something about societal ideals. Along the same lines, I also always think about how there are so many shows or reality series about teen pregnancy and teen mothers. Even if the girl thinks about the abortion option, in the end, she always chooses to carry through with the pregnancy. This is frustrating to me, because the situation these teen pregnancy shows usually depict are ones of secure, middle-class girls having a relatively easy experience raising the child, minus minor stresses of missing out on high school events and the stress of boyfriend drama. It’s almost as if the girls are able to redeem their sexual mistake by learning to become good mothers—a glorified, feminine role in society. If she were to have an abortion instead, the idea seems to be that it would not provide her with a valuable life lesson like a mother hood role would, and since she can move on with her life, it is believed that she will just make more sexual mistakes in the future.
Abortion is a huge topic in politics and has been for decades. The article “Abortion in the US: Barriers to Access” notes that recriminalizing abortion would cause many deaths of mothers and children. Abortions can save mothers that are at risk of dying from the complications of pregnancy and also it saves mothers from bringing a child into the world that they just are not ready to have. It is important for women to have the choice of abortion because otherwise they could take their own lives or undergo a risky abortion by an unlicensed stranger. There are many personal reasons for people to have an abortion and there are extreme cases such as rape that should be able to be performed without question. I do agree that a girl under the age of 18 should have to have a parent notified because it is important that the girl realize that this is not to be taken lightly and should not be used as a form of birth control. People over the age of 18 should be old enough to be responsible for their bodies and use reliable contraceptives. I think it is important to have abortion clinics located all around the world so that no woman feels desparate and hopeless enough to do something drastic or dangerous to themselves. I think it is horrible that people try to bomb these clinics that are out there to help women. Every person is entitled to their own opinion on the subject but they should not feel the need to imposed their opinion on everyone else. Every woman should be able to make her own choice for what is right for herself and for her unborn child without the judgement of others.
LovePost author
My response is specifically to a comment made in the “Abortion: A Matter of Choice” article by Judy D. Simmons. It came when she said “I was a child of divorce who had longed to have my father around, or to have my mother replace him with a stepfather. I thought- probably still think- that being wanted and loved by both a woman and a man is advantageous for a child’s balanced development. (Maybe this idea is just my last romantic notion- certainly other parenting arrangements have worked for many.) ” (page 126).
This response is very interesting, many single mothers or fathers believe they can raise a child by themselves and will say ” I don’t need a man” OR ” I don’t need a woman”, but in my opinion, its not whether or not you can do it by yourself, because most people can, its just a matter of having that support from someone else who is just as involved in the childs life as you are. Another figure whether it is a heterosexual relationship or homosexual relationship, it makes it easier and a more healthy relationship for all those involved. The reason for this is because there are many pressures, stresses, financial responsibilities to take upon as one person. A child requires much attention, love and has many needs. One person may be able to handle it, but then they have no one to help relief them of that stress. If they are having a bad day, the child is going to see that and feel that. If the parent does not feel loved, the child is going to feel that from the parent even if the parent loves their child dearly. The point is to have someone else to create a healthy circle. That is why I believe that it is important to have to parental figures in the life of a child, but only if that is a healthy relationship as well. Because there are many children who have two parents but the parents relationship is an unhealthy one which effects the child. Whereas compared to a single parent who is happy and healthy raising the child by themselves, would be a better environment to potentially grow up in.
There are so many factors that effect the meaning of a “family” and what is good and what is not. The point is, there needs to be love from all angles and almost everything else fits into play. That is why I believe two parents are important, but as long as those two parents love eachother and they love their child, but if the two parents do not love eachother and are always fighting and cannot resolve things, I do not think that is healthy for a child. So it entirely depends on the dynamics of the family. Balance is important in any relationship for things to always feel equal and to really understand that one is really there for the other person.
I also believe that people make decisions about keeping their child or aborting or even becoming pregnant, based on their own experiences growing up. Most people want to fill the voids that they felt growing up. Unfortunately, it usually does not work that way and the void they feel, sometimes is the void their own child will also experience. Love is key, everything else will fall into place.
Pearls
Abortion is a very controversial topic in our society. There are many people think that they know what they would do if they were ever in the situation of possibly needing to get an abortion. The truth is that no one really knows that they would want to do because each situation is different the circumstances would play a factor as to what the woman decided she wanted to do. For me growing up abortion was not talked about. My parents never really talked about it because I do not think that they wanted to believe that I could get pregnant. I have always thought that I would get an abortion if I was in high school or college, but as I get older I think that I would be able to have a baby and either take care of it or put he or she up for adoption so that they could be with a family that would be able to give he or she what they deserved. In the article Abortion: A Matter of Choice by Judy D. Simmons, I realized that abortion has not always been a choice. I had not realized that not too long ago women would have had to go to great extents to get an abortion if they wanted one. The comparison between the two women was something that now a days I would never think about. Women used to have to go to other countries in order to get an abortion. If the women then went to the doctor and had a follow up the doctor could tell the police and the women would get in trouble because it was against the law. Now that abortion is legal in most states I believe that it should be up to the women to decide whether or not she would like to get an abortion. Like many of the articles said there are cultural differences, familial differences, and circumstantial differences that could influence a woman either way when it comes to an abortion. This topic is not black and white and that is why it is so controversial in our society.
Woo
I have always had issues with the morality surrounding abortion. I do understand certain pro-life points of view and honestly doubt that I would personally be able to go through with an abortion. However, I have always said that abortion should be legal until the point at which we, as a society, are able to support the children that have already been brought into this world. I think that the articles provided clearly speak about the social implications surrounding raising or aborting a child/fetus. These social implications are what I feel like we should address before we even think about looking at the morality of abortion, the later which I believe to be a legitimate argument. I really appreciated the article by Simmons because it spoke about the dire need for addressing pre-exiting societal issues and about the true reality of what abortion means for the future of a young girl.
I also have major issues with how prenatal testing has been extensively used and pressured for pregnant women. This testing and has lead to women having to make choices about aborting fetuses/babies that have diagnosed handicaps. I believe abortion, in this context, addresses larger societal issues of disability rights. Personally, I feel that when a women is pregnant this is not the time for her to start to think about disability rights.
Lastly, I was amazed to hear that Lennart Nilsson’s photographs, which are often used by pro-life groups, were of aborted or stillborn fetuses. If anyone is not well aware of his photography I would suggest google imaging it because I am sure that you have seen many of the photos before. His “art” was widely popularized when it was on the cover of life magazine. The images that he created have drastically change the idea the the fetus which is why I find it so very interesting that few people know that these pictures are all of aborted or stillborn fetuses/children in Sweden, where abortion was legal in 1950’s.
Mufasa
Abortion is a very sensitive subject to me. In general I feel as though this topic is not very open due to its controversy. There are strong believers on both sides, pro choice and pro life. The article “Abortion: A matter of Choice†made me think of my friends who have gotten pregnant or who are pregnant and how each of them have different situations. The author stresses injustice inequalities and unfairness affecting people and children. I really liked how she approached different aspects of abortion affecting women. After a woman is unhappy with her pregnancy and chooses to have an abortion, she then has to go through legal matters. Is this fair? The burden on women concerning abortion is a lot especially since men are not really in the picture. All the choices, responsibility, and blame are put mainly on the woman. People do not think to help women be safe from the beginning. I have noticed this in my family and my culture as well. I have been warned about the outcomes of sex but never have been taught precautions to take and the aftermath. Even though I have learned in school, this topic is not very open in my family. I am just expected never to get pregnant before marriage. What if I do? How will my parents react? What will people think? Etc. This is when women like me feel alone, confused, and consider abortion. Women who do go through abortion should be supported for their own decision instead of being looked down upon by society. Women already have to deal with the emotional stress of losing their child. I do think counseling can helps women who have undergone abortion deal with things much better.
Pinkis123
Abortion is a very complex, controversial, and sensitive topic that I have been continuously learning about for quite some time now, each time learning new information that either interests, confuses, or upsets me. It mind boggles me that anyone other then the pregnant woman herself would make the decision for her about whether or not to have an abortion. There is so much that goes into the process (emotional, physical, mental) then nobody on the outside, especially men involved, realize. There are also lots of barriers with getting an abortion, such as insurance and payments than can complicate things. For my presentation this week I specifically learned a great deal about the different procedures and types of abortion and which options are available at each trimester, and there are a number of options to chose from which can be a scary and tough decision as well. I think that support is the most important aspect of getting an abortion, as for most women it is a very emotional time. It is a shame that certain aspects of the whole process such as access- insurance, conflicting opinions (pro life or pro choice), crowded clinics causing a rushed procedure and after care, family/friend support, etc arise and make it that much harder for the mother. I thought that the readings gave a diverse outlook on abortion, especially the article by Jenny Higgins with the idea of accessing abortion. Clinics fill up so quickly that they do not have as much time to spend on each patient. Also, it is great that middle class women are educated about sexual education and therefore avoid more unplanned pregnancies, but for lower class women who are not as knowledgable it is more of an issue. Abortion is a very sensitive and personal topic, however many women are not given the opportuniy to see it that way, as Higgins says it is seen as “more an indication of social inequality, social limitations, and reproductive injustice.†Overall, I believe that is highly important- necessary- for women of all classes and race to be educated about sexual education and unprotected sex. They should be aware of the consequences such as unplanned pregnancies, and also how to access help and care if they need it. Abortion is available for women who need it, however it is essential that the woman considers the options (whether to have an abortion or not, or what type of abortion to get), and makes the choice herself and also has support of someone close to her to help her get through such a difficult time.
lolo
In discussions of abortion I think that the importance of ethnography and women’s stories of the abortion experience are integral to ‘normalizing’ the event (no matter how problematic that word is…). In my experience, as someone who has never had an abortion, but works extensively with reproductive justice groups, I’ve found events like Abortion Speak-Outs to be very moving and informative. Abortion Speak-Outs are more or less open forums for women/people who have had abortions to get up and speak to the audience about their personal experiences in a safe and respectful space. I’ve mostly been to the Speak-Outs put on by CLLP’s “From Abortion Rights to Social Justice†conference at Hampshire College every April. Speak-Outs are especially interesting when it is an intergenerational event. As shown in “Abortion: A matter of choice,†women in the United States have had various experiences with barriers to abortion access during different time periods. These events can show younger people what it was like to have abortion illegal in the United States and how important reproductive rights are in the legal sense of the term. Additionally, it is important to be cognizant of issues concerning reproductive justice specifically—particularly stories from underprivileged women. Although the conference at Hampshire tries to be as accessible as it can and visibly increases racial (and class) diversity on the campus for the weekend, a conference in an academic setting is not necessarily going to reach everyone. Either way, the Speak-Out at the conference is significant not only in showing the issues’ importance and connecting activists, but for putting a face, body, and voice to issues of access to abortion.
Daisy
After reading the article, Abortion: A Matter of Choice, it is apparent that even though divorces happen, if a stable force is still present in the child’s life then they can beat the harsh statistics. Abortion is seen as an equalizer of women and this article talked about how teen mothers are often faced with the reality of knowing who is going to help them support them. The author talked about how she thinks that females should have a non-sexual male figure in order to live a balanced life. They need to have role models that can teach them about the male characteristics in order to be able to interact better with the opposite sex. She talks about how her personal choice is that no child of hers is going to be walking the earth without her knowing their circumstances, which would be what adoption would feel like to her. I think that she makes a lot of valid points, but I disagree that in order to be balanced you need to have a father in your life, but I agree that it is better for the child to have a support system of people that can love and nurture a child. It is important for women to know that they have a choice in the matter and it is important that society recognize the rights that a women has to make her own choice and not have one made for them. I think that this author provided valuable knowledge and a real life story to make abortion more real to readers like myself. Trying to fill voids from childhood often makes people more prone to do certain things and adults are trying to do things the way that they did not have. It is important that women of all ages know that they have a support system and can find people to depend on and that their choices matter and have validity and matter.
b.green
Abortion has always been an uncomfortable topic for me. Mostly because I was always told it was wrong. However, the more I read about reproductive justice the more comfortable I have become reading about this issue. Abortion: A Matter of Choice was good to read because it was an individual talking about her expierence and what it was like to have an illegal abortion and her reasons for doing so. I feel like if more stories were told than abortion would become less stigmitzed because it’s often spoke about as a “loose” women trying to get rid of a mistake. But a this article points out and I think is most often the case women’s reasons for getting an abortion are varied and each reason is valid in it’s own right. The only problem that I had with this article was was that it said that women who got to many abortions were irresponsible and I’m not sure that I agree with this wording. I think that we should be careful in how we talk about women who get mulitple abortions because they may have barriers to access of consistent birth control and by saying that multiple abortions are bad is kind of saying that abortion is bad, but is permissible when necessary. As an pro choice advocate I do not think that this type of rhetoric is helpful and further problematizes abortion.
Jazzy06
While reading Judy Simmons’ recounts of her own pregnancy and abortion, as well as an acquaintance of hers, who we know as Renee, I couldn’t help but think about the feelings that my friend had after her abortion during high school. I remember her calling and telling me how empty she felt afterwards, and how she couldn’t imagine living with herself after having to abort the baby she was carrying. While I listened to and comforted her for months after, I really had no idea how to make her feel whole again, and this article reminded me of the lack of emotional support that she was given from those around her; there was no support system offered to her by other teens who had aborted their babies.
Although she was lucky enough to be granted a legal abortion in a hospital, unlike Judy Simmons, my friend still felt the pain of losing her unborn child. In this way, I think that Simmons’ opinion of aborting a pregnancy, which she says is far from the “melodramatic tragedy, social cancer, mortal sin, legislative crisis of genocidal master plan that various segments of the American public represent it to be†is an inaccurate description. While I understand that abortion now has much less of a stigma than before it became legalized in the United States, I still believe that Simmons’ explanation seems less than heartfelt.
Considering her experience with teen pregnancy and abortion – which seems to be traumatic – I was turned off by Simmons’ simplistic portrayal of the event. Maybe this is proof of her growth through time; however, like almost any other experience in a woman’s life, everyone experiences pain and loss differently. I believe that Simmons’ description is not one that should be considered the norm for those who go through an abortion, and, after observing my friend’s experience, there should be more action taken by public health care initiatives to improve the aftermath of United States teens that undergo abortions.
Women seem to hold the responsibility of pregnancy prevention and the unintended pregnancy by themselves. Men often take no responsibility at all. Although there is a gender imbalance when it comes to responsibilities regarding preventing unwanted pregnancy there is also an imbalance between what services are available to women. Although middle class women also have abortions they often have less due to the opportunities available. These opportunities provide the women with more motivation to avoid pregnancy. When they do have abortions they also have access to better facilities. The article by Jenny Higgins suggests that abortion clinics often have rushed services due to the number or women they have to serve.
As we have discussed in previous classes, there is a lack of contraceptive discussion in school. If we were able to implement a better sexual education in school systems, there would be less need for abortions. Although my sexual education through school didn’t meet its potential, I believe my family was helpful in answering my questions or encouraging me to seek out my own answers. I would also hope to see more expansive opportunities made available to lower class women. I agree with the article when it mentions that motivation is one of the main reasons why middle class women avoid unwanted pregnancies. For myself, I have goals of going to graduate school. I take almost every precaution I can not to become pregnant before or during that time. It is very important to me to do well in school and in my chosen career. That is one of the main reasons why I have no plan to be pregnant anytime soon.
Abortion: A Matter of Choice by Judy Simmons started with what I thought were your typical go to the abortion clinic story. Most accounts of abortion have followed the same theme, which in itself demonstrates that women who have gone through this share a lot more than being just an abortion statistic. On page 125 the author I think really gets to her point, and the passion of her argument comes out in her writing….what about all those injustices inequalities and unfairness occurring to living people, to living children rather than focusing on a ball of cells that may or may not become a human being. I really liked her discussion of the mythical castle we as a culture (I cannot speak for other cultures) have built around wondrous motherhood, that it is this intrinsically special and sacred time. Get real, like she says…It doesn’t take a creative genius or intellectual giant to have sex and reproduce another human animal. All animals can do it, so can plants! Just like the author says, it is the difficulty in raising the little human animal into a descent person that separates the women from the girls.
It always shocks and astounds me when it comes to the law, government and abortion, that there should even be a question in a woman’s right to safely choose what happens to her own body. I read about these Acts and about these States that make abortion illegal with disbelief….is this what women want? It can’t be….I just don’t understand how these things can get passed in the United States. I hope some of these politics will be discussed in class.
In reading, Abortion: A Matter of Choice, I thought of the internship I did last winter break. I shadowed a Nurse Practitioner at a School-Based Health Center in a local high school. At least one pregnancy test a day was considered normal. The nurse, before revealing the results, would talk with the girl about how she planned on providing for this possible child. Most girls said their parents would help them, their boyfriends had jobs or they’d drop out of school to get a job. What they didn’t think about was that if their parents are struggling to support their own children, how will they support a grandchild? Most also said they are against abortion or didn’t have the money for it. The cost of diapers and formula alone would add up to be more than aborting the pregnancy or going on prescription birth control. It was unfortunate to see these girls daily and their lack of education led them there. The nurse would ask the girls (and their boyfriends, if possible) to come back at the end of the day to watch a short film about the consequences of teen pregnancy and to set up an appointment at the local Planned Parenthood to go on birth control. It was frustrating that if they had gotten proper education about using contraceptives, or abstaining from sex, they could go farther than they’ve ever thought about. It seems that most people in this community never get out of it and propel the cycle. And to top it off, none of the administrators or faculty of the high school wanted to get their hands dirty in discussing teen pregnancy as a huge problem at the high school. These girls aren’t being supported at home or at school and are being led to a future of service jobs and minimum wage. I always said that if I got pregnant before I could provide almost primarily for the child then I would consider abortion my only option. I wouldn’t want to impose my consequences on my parents and family. It isn’t fair to them or the child.
Abortion, has always been a very sensitive topic in every culture, society, and religion. Some people think that it should be a woman’s choice and some think its a sin. after reading the article, “Abortion: A matter of choice” I came to realize if it’s really a true statement? I remeber when i was growing up in India, we used to watch in the news all the times, how Indian culture is being more and more “Sex Selective” each day. By sex selective i mean aborting the young babies if it’s a female sex. Specially in the areas where people aren’t well educated to this day they think that a girl is a burden on this parents, hence few years ago there was a dramatic drop in the sex ratio of the girl child population. Then how can be say that abortion is only a matter of choice. when i female is not even allowed to keep her baby if it’s a baby girl. I feel like Indian women do not get the Freedom to make decisions regarding one’s reproductive choices as western women do. they just have to follow the rules of their husbands’ and in-laws. I have heard a lot of stories how some husbands’ give divorce to their wives if they can’t give them a baby boy. I mean how sad is that, a female has to abort the child if it’s not a boy and on top of that leave her husband. How devistating!
There has been many laws that are in promoted by the government to not disclose the sex of the fetus to the parents in order to prevent the decline in girl population. I mean, to have a daughter is socially and emotionally accepted if there is a son in the family, but a daughter’s arrival is often unwelcome if the couple already have a daughter. so the unborn girl has to suffer the death sentence before even coming to the world.
I mean India is known as a very culturally/religiously rich country. One side of the coin shows :Abortion is a sin and the other of the side of coin reveals that killing a girl fetus is perfectally acceptable in the culture and society. what should one do in that situation…
The author has dreams of her own, dreams of the perfect American life. She has described how abortion changes along with time. In order words, different time periods, different abortion experiences.
I thought it was interesting when she mentioned that abortion is already stressful enough so why make it worse for women with all the legal matters and social issues? I totally agree with her, women should not be given additional stress about abortions. It is bad enough that they are removing an embryo from their womb and going to feel sick after. I am sure that abortion is not an easy decision and there are mental issues associated with post-abortion. Since abortion is such a big issue, someone always gets blamed so who and how do we choose?
Many men take advantage of poor hearted women, more like girls, who are desperate and need attention. They are at that age where everything seems like a fairytale and that they want it all, they want the perfect life. When the author mentioned that she was pregnant by a teacher and Renee was pregnant by her high school security guard, it makes me wonder what both men and women are thinking. Women, like the author and Renee, seem like they were in desperate need at the time and later realized that they were taken for granted and made a huge mistake. So it is all fantasy? Why fantasized? I wonder if the media portrayal of the “American dream” of a perfect life with the perfect family becoming a social burden to a point where it’s getting young women pregnant? So the questions still remains, who do we blame?
It seems as though domestic violence also plays an important role in women wanting something more, a better life. Growing up and watching your parents abuse each other or one abusing the other seem to fit into finding an answer to “who do we blameâ€. Is it the lack of education that the author seemed to point out when she explained how Renee was not ready for a baby because she had no clue what to do at all.
Do we blame parents for not showing enough care towards their children?
Have some women been broken so bad that they see no way out but to find whoever they think loves them and eventually fall into the living happily ever after.
One interesting fact that the author mentioned was that some parents indirectly warns their girls about consequences of sex but never the safe actions to take if they decide to have sex. I can totally relate to this because my parents, more like my aunts and cousins warned me so much about sex but never said anything positive at all. All they want is for me to not have sex until I am old enough and by old enough they mean like 30. I mean really? Am I really going to wait that long? They didn’t so why should I? I guess I could say thanks to the sexual educations that I have received and now know both the positive and negative sides of having sex and can make my choices.
Women have many reasons for having an abortion and I strongly believe that no one but the woman making this difficult and emotional decision should tell her what is right or wrong. Sadly, many women who do want abortions either cannot afford them or have no means to attain one and, on the flip side, sometimes a woman does not want to have an abortion but feels that there is no other option or has no support or means of supporting herself. As Jenny Higgins pointed out in the article “Sex, Unintended Pregnancy, and Poverty…”, “abortion can be less a symbol of self-efficacy or ‘choice’ and more an indication of social inequality, social limitations, and reproductive injustice.”
I also appreciated Higgins’s honest account of what it was like working at an abortion clinic where counseling is sometimes sloppy and hasty, the matter of privacy is a joke, and just entering the threshold can make you feel like you are entering some heavily guarded fortress. It has an aura like something forbidden that so many in society believe is a horrendous, unspeakable act of the worst kind of murder. It also never ceases to disgust me how low the pro-life scare tactics and vulgarity will go to try to make women in this predicament of choosing what to do with their pregnancy feel as guilty and alone as possible. Manipulative language, including phrases like “partial birth abortion” and calling the pro-choice movement “pro-abortion” is just a lowly way of trying to scare and manipulate women into doing whatever the pro-life fanatics think is best, which is often more than just tinged with religious rants. Worst of all, abortion is nearly impossible for some women to access in states like Mississippi who have shut down all but one single abortion clinic in the state. And the war against abortion is still raging- there are so many people who want women to have no choice at all. This is exemplified by restrictive laws (like the Hyde Amendment) and some state policies. Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
The “Barriers to Access” article was also very informatice since it talked about the devastating effects of the Hyde Amendment and its impact on women who simply have no way of getting an abortion that they would have wanted to have. As stated in this article, “Even when women have been able to raise the money, the time needed to search for funding makes it more likely that they will have a more costly and difficult second trimester procedure.” To me, this is a fundamental point: again, women are stuck in a paradox, either not having the money at all or raising the money only to then have to endure a more complicated and costly procedure.
Perhaps most importantly of all, this same article pointed out the very true fact that women who have had an abortion are STIGMATIZED. They are portrayed as selfish, lazy, irresponsible, evil, and, more harshly, as immoral “babykillers.” I wince when I hear these words and it’s very hard for women who have had an abortion to deal with the stigma and the lack of any support or understanding from society on top of the very common feelings of sadness, depression, loss, and guilt that often follow an abortion.
I think people need to have some compassion. NO ONE is “pro-abortion.” No one wants to have to have an abortion and no one wants to ever have to make that kind of heart-wrenching decision. But women and their partners do need to make those kinds of decisions and I really believe that the government should stay out of it. As long as women can be educated and informed about sex from the start, the number of abortions will decrease. And for women who have made the very difficult decision to have an abortion, these women need counseling, support, real and honest answers to their questions, and realistic access to abortion services. These women are not bad people, they are not monsters like they are made out to be by so many in society. Women who have abortions think about their choice and struggle with it and it is probably the most difficult and heart-wrenching decision they will ever make. And they live with that decision and all of the memories and feelings that accompany it. Every day.
I too was struck by the quote†It doesn’t take a creative genius or intellectual giant to have sex and reproduce another human animal. All animals can do it, so can plants! Just like the author says, it is the difficulty in raising the little human animal into a descent person that separates the women from the girls.”
I could not help but think though that in her mind she was refereeing to the deserving mother vs. the undeserving mother. So how do you know when it is right for you to become a mother? Is it just about finances? Or are there specific things one needs to know about raising a child? So are teenage mothers that keep their babies not doing a great job? What is a quality life? Who determines that? I was a little confused. I do think that women should have a right and say with what they want to do with their bodies despite the fact that my position on this matter does not align with my religious beliefs. The way I see it, I should not decide what someone can or cannot do especially if it has nothing to do with me. I have struggled with this because of my religious and cultural beliefs that view this as wrong but I feel like it is not my place to judge what other people decide to do with their bodies. Even though abortion is illegal in my country of origin, I know of girls that were able to secure safe abortions somehow. I did however like quote†To me, love, sex, marriage, children, goodness and happiness were all wrapped up in one romantic religious package that automatically came in the mail when you were old enoughâ€. This is the way it was presented to me both in religious and cultural settings and is problematic, in my opinion.
“…adult women never talked to us realistically about being a woman, lover and motherâ€. I would have to agree with this quote from The Black Women’s Health Book, “Abortion: A Matter of Choice†because of my own experiences. Growing up, my mother never spoke about entering puberty, sex or pregnancy because she thought that I would learn about it in school. She thought I would be smart enough to make good decisions and learn from them. Although I did learn a lot about changes within my body and general sex in school, I feel that it would have affected me greater if I had learned about it from my own mother.
I became sexually active at the age of 15 and was still very naïve and immature about the subject. At that time I never thought about getting pregnant or getting infected with a sexually transmitted disease from my partner. I was actually VERY lucky to have never experienced either of these circumstances. When I got into a very serious relationship, I thought it would be fine to just use the withdrawal method because I trusted my partner. However, I realize now that one little mistake could have changed the rest of my life. If I had gotten pregnant, I would have put my life aside to have a child. I was always taught that abortion was wrong so I was always against it.
After reading this article, I realized that as bad as abortion is, many women just can’t provide for their child, like the author of this article and Renee. Looking back now, I can’t see myself supporting a child, finishing school and having a job all at the same time. I would be missing out on having fun and living life. As grateful as I am to be where I am now, I do wish that my mom or even my aunt would have mentioned what are the consequences if this or that happened. I will be sure to let my child know everything that I’ve learned and hope that he/she will avoid the mistakes I’ve made.
I enjoyed reading the article by Judy Simmons. I liked how she compared the two abortion situations between herself and Renee. It’s interesting how similar the two situations are especially since they occurred in two different time periods. I use to be pro-life and now I don’t know what to label myself. When I hear about someone getting pregnant and then they get an abortion I usually get mad or disappointed in the person because I don’t believe killing is right what-so-ever. But one day I stopped and thought about it. I thought about what I would do if I ever was in that situation. Would I keep my baby or would I go through with an abortion. A lot of people are quick to say they would keep the baby because they are not the ones going through the situation. It’s easier said than done. Things are different now, but in high school if I was to ever get pregnant, I honestly don’t know if I would keep my child, which is sad to say. I know my parents, my teachers and my peers would all be disappointed in me. When Judy was talking about how Renee had emotional deficits and was living in a troubled home, I completly understand why she would want to go through with an abortion. She was a very young girl who had no business having a child at such an early age, but of course no one ever expects it to happen to them.
When it comes to young girls having an abortion after getting pregnant for the first time, it more understandable to me then someone who is over the age of 21 and has had multiple abortions. I knew someone in high school who has an older sister who had over 5 abortions. I want to say over 10 but I’m not exactly sure. But I feel like in her case she was being more selfish and less considerate. First of all she never paid for her abortions, from what I heard, her parents did. And also for her to continue to get pregnant and not learning from the first time to use protection is a serious problem. I wish I could ask her why she repeatedly got an abortion.
When Judy was talking about how some girls want a better life and sometimes find it in the wrong places, I realized how true that is. When girls are not recieving love at home they try to find it else where. Sometimes guys take advantage of that. Judy asked Renee, what was a grown man who was married doing with a young girl? Renee’s “boyfriend” probably took advantage of Renee, she thought it was real love and just went with it. Guys stick around until the female get pregnant and they are sometimes quick to tell them to get an abortion. Leaving the girl to deal with the aftermath of it…alone. Bringing these girls back to where they left off, alone and unloved and sometimes left with a baby.
One of the most controversial issues for women is Abortion. I took a class on the history of sexuality and there was the topic of abortion and how it has been practice for a very long time, since the beginning and it was mostly done especially in the American culture in secret. However now there is much debate around it on whether or not it is morally permissible to have an abortion. In the article Abortion: A matter of choice by Judy D. Simmons she points out a lot of on why abortion should be a women’s choice and how it shouldn’t be banned. She brought up some things that supported pro-choice and how the women should decide whether or not she wants to have a baby or not. She also points out how not all women are fit to be mothers and we should focus on the present situations that we face with children now and that we shouldn’t add more to this problem by putting more children in these problematic situations. She mentions how she is concerned about the child’s quality of life and how we put so much emphasis on how bad abortion is but if you look at it in another point of view it wouldn’t be so bad. I found this article to be very interesting and it brought out some points that were eye opening. Although I do not condone abortion due to many reasons however I feel that a women should make her own decision on whether or not she want to keep the baby and that abortion should be a last resort in some ways, more depending on the situation. Some women out there do use abortion as a means of birth control or a way to not handle the situation they are in, that is more my concern than anything because there are alternate ways of dealing with this situation. Al in all it is the women’s body and she should be able to make decision according to how she feels fit. Overall I think that it is important for all women to have their own choice on what they want to do with their bodies.
In Fried’s article, Abortions in the U.S.: Barriers to Access, she provides a statistic that claims 1 in 4 American women will have at least one abortion in their life. Despite how common abortions are now and have been historically, there is still this negative stigma associated with them in our society. As Fried points out, even in everyday television or movies, most situations depicting an unwanted pregnancy never even hint at the abortion option. This is something I have always noticed and I get frustrated when any pregnancy scare on the big screen turns into some dramatic ordeal about how they’re going to raise the future child, without even a slight mention of choosing not to have the baby. Granted, having to take care of a baby and the potential life-changing event having a child brings does make for a much better TV drama then aborting the pregnancy and moving on with life. Still, I think the fact that abortions are never even considered as an option, and the fact that there’s this sort of glorification of becoming a mother, tells us a little something about societal ideals. Along the same lines, I also always think about how there are so many shows or reality series about teen pregnancy and teen mothers. Even if the girl thinks about the abortion option, in the end, she always chooses to carry through with the pregnancy. This is frustrating to me, because the situation these teen pregnancy shows usually depict are ones of secure, middle-class girls having a relatively easy experience raising the child, minus minor stresses of missing out on high school events and the stress of boyfriend drama. It’s almost as if the girls are able to redeem their sexual mistake by learning to become good mothers—a glorified, feminine role in society. If she were to have an abortion instead, the idea seems to be that it would not provide her with a valuable life lesson like a mother hood role would, and since she can move on with her life, it is believed that she will just make more sexual mistakes in the future.
Abortion is a particularly important issue right now in the US. Recently there have been many abortion related stories in the new, the murder of Dr. Tiller and the Stupak amendment. One thing that struck me from the readings was the discourses around women who have had abortions. Abortion is a relatively common procedure, one of the readings had the statistic that 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime, and yet women don’t talk about their own abortion statistics or about the fact that they have had an abortion. Our society prevents women from speaking about abortion and helping to relieve some of the guilt many women inevitably feel about having had an abortion when they are under the impression that no one they know has ever had one. Women are forced to keep this secret because our society is so hostile to and has such poor opinions of women who have had abortions. Women also have to worry about possible backlash from others. When I was younger, a doctor I had in Springfield was in the same building as Planned Parenthood. Because I was so young I thought it was strange that there were separate locked entrances to the Planned Parenthood and that there was a security guard at the entrance to the building. Now that I’m older, I can see how necessary such precautions are, especially considering the recent murder of Dr. Tiller in his church
The article “Abortion in the US: Barriers to Access†brought up an excellent point about the narratives we have about women who have abortions, “they are portrayed either as selfish people or hapless victims, incapable of making their own decisions†(370). This is a very true statement, we don’t give women the agency to make their own informed choices and instead believe in only these two options, both of which portray women as non-intellectual and easily duped. Many women agonize over the decision of whether or not to have an abortion, especially in our society that vilifies it so much. There is no place in the mainstream media for a woman to make an informed decision to have an abortion and then go through with it, and the current portrayals we get on abortion are damaging. The same article noted above also looks at statistics indicating that young people “think that abortion is overused and that their peers are irresponsible†(371). I’ve heard this sentiment in the past from my peers and it angers me that there are people who actually believe this. I think this opinion in large part stems from the societal moratorium we have on abortion stories. No one can feel comfortable talking about their own abortion experiences and it leads to a certain naiveté among young people about how necessary abortion really is and how certain people are unable to access certain forms of birth control or negotiate with a partner on the use of birth control.
Abortion is a huge topic in politics and has been for decades. The article “Abortion in the US: Barriers to Access” notes that recriminalizing abortion would cause many deaths of mothers and children. Abortions can save mothers that are at risk of dying from the complications of pregnancy and also it saves mothers from bringing a child into the world that they just are not ready to have. It is important for women to have the choice of abortion because otherwise they could take their own lives or undergo a risky abortion by an unlicensed stranger. There are many personal reasons for people to have an abortion and there are extreme cases such as rape that should be able to be performed without question. I do agree that a girl under the age of 18 should have to have a parent notified because it is important that the girl realize that this is not to be taken lightly and should not be used as a form of birth control. People over the age of 18 should be old enough to be responsible for their bodies and use reliable contraceptives. I think it is important to have abortion clinics located all around the world so that no woman feels desparate and hopeless enough to do something drastic or dangerous to themselves. I think it is horrible that people try to bomb these clinics that are out there to help women. Every person is entitled to their own opinion on the subject but they should not feel the need to imposed their opinion on everyone else. Every woman should be able to make her own choice for what is right for herself and for her unborn child without the judgement of others.
My response is specifically to a comment made in the “Abortion: A Matter of Choice” article by Judy D. Simmons. It came when she said “I was a child of divorce who had longed to have my father around, or to have my mother replace him with a stepfather. I thought- probably still think- that being wanted and loved by both a woman and a man is advantageous for a child’s balanced development. (Maybe this idea is just my last romantic notion- certainly other parenting arrangements have worked for many.) ” (page 126).
This response is very interesting, many single mothers or fathers believe they can raise a child by themselves and will say ” I don’t need a man” OR ” I don’t need a woman”, but in my opinion, its not whether or not you can do it by yourself, because most people can, its just a matter of having that support from someone else who is just as involved in the childs life as you are. Another figure whether it is a heterosexual relationship or homosexual relationship, it makes it easier and a more healthy relationship for all those involved. The reason for this is because there are many pressures, stresses, financial responsibilities to take upon as one person. A child requires much attention, love and has many needs. One person may be able to handle it, but then they have no one to help relief them of that stress. If they are having a bad day, the child is going to see that and feel that. If the parent does not feel loved, the child is going to feel that from the parent even if the parent loves their child dearly. The point is to have someone else to create a healthy circle. That is why I believe that it is important to have to parental figures in the life of a child, but only if that is a healthy relationship as well. Because there are many children who have two parents but the parents relationship is an unhealthy one which effects the child. Whereas compared to a single parent who is happy and healthy raising the child by themselves, would be a better environment to potentially grow up in.
There are so many factors that effect the meaning of a “family” and what is good and what is not. The point is, there needs to be love from all angles and almost everything else fits into play. That is why I believe two parents are important, but as long as those two parents love eachother and they love their child, but if the two parents do not love eachother and are always fighting and cannot resolve things, I do not think that is healthy for a child. So it entirely depends on the dynamics of the family. Balance is important in any relationship for things to always feel equal and to really understand that one is really there for the other person.
I also believe that people make decisions about keeping their child or aborting or even becoming pregnant, based on their own experiences growing up. Most people want to fill the voids that they felt growing up. Unfortunately, it usually does not work that way and the void they feel, sometimes is the void their own child will also experience. Love is key, everything else will fall into place.
Abortion is a very controversial topic in our society. There are many people think that they know what they would do if they were ever in the situation of possibly needing to get an abortion. The truth is that no one really knows that they would want to do because each situation is different the circumstances would play a factor as to what the woman decided she wanted to do. For me growing up abortion was not talked about. My parents never really talked about it because I do not think that they wanted to believe that I could get pregnant. I have always thought that I would get an abortion if I was in high school or college, but as I get older I think that I would be able to have a baby and either take care of it or put he or she up for adoption so that they could be with a family that would be able to give he or she what they deserved. In the article Abortion: A Matter of Choice by Judy D. Simmons, I realized that abortion has not always been a choice. I had not realized that not too long ago women would have had to go to great extents to get an abortion if they wanted one. The comparison between the two women was something that now a days I would never think about. Women used to have to go to other countries in order to get an abortion. If the women then went to the doctor and had a follow up the doctor could tell the police and the women would get in trouble because it was against the law. Now that abortion is legal in most states I believe that it should be up to the women to decide whether or not she would like to get an abortion. Like many of the articles said there are cultural differences, familial differences, and circumstantial differences that could influence a woman either way when it comes to an abortion. This topic is not black and white and that is why it is so controversial in our society.
I have always had issues with the morality surrounding abortion. I do understand certain pro-life points of view and honestly doubt that I would personally be able to go through with an abortion. However, I have always said that abortion should be legal until the point at which we, as a society, are able to support the children that have already been brought into this world. I think that the articles provided clearly speak about the social implications surrounding raising or aborting a child/fetus. These social implications are what I feel like we should address before we even think about looking at the morality of abortion, the later which I believe to be a legitimate argument. I really appreciated the article by Simmons because it spoke about the dire need for addressing pre-exiting societal issues and about the true reality of what abortion means for the future of a young girl.
I also have major issues with how prenatal testing has been extensively used and pressured for pregnant women. This testing and has lead to women having to make choices about aborting fetuses/babies that have diagnosed handicaps. I believe abortion, in this context, addresses larger societal issues of disability rights. Personally, I feel that when a women is pregnant this is not the time for her to start to think about disability rights.
Lastly, I was amazed to hear that Lennart Nilsson’s photographs, which are often used by pro-life groups, were of aborted or stillborn fetuses. If anyone is not well aware of his photography I would suggest google imaging it because I am sure that you have seen many of the photos before. His “art” was widely popularized when it was on the cover of life magazine. The images that he created have drastically change the idea the the fetus which is why I find it so very interesting that few people know that these pictures are all of aborted or stillborn fetuses/children in Sweden, where abortion was legal in 1950’s.
Abortion is a very sensitive subject to me. In general I feel as though this topic is not very open due to its controversy. There are strong believers on both sides, pro choice and pro life. The article “Abortion: A matter of Choice†made me think of my friends who have gotten pregnant or who are pregnant and how each of them have different situations. The author stresses injustice inequalities and unfairness affecting people and children. I really liked how she approached different aspects of abortion affecting women. After a woman is unhappy with her pregnancy and chooses to have an abortion, she then has to go through legal matters. Is this fair? The burden on women concerning abortion is a lot especially since men are not really in the picture. All the choices, responsibility, and blame are put mainly on the woman. People do not think to help women be safe from the beginning. I have noticed this in my family and my culture as well. I have been warned about the outcomes of sex but never have been taught precautions to take and the aftermath. Even though I have learned in school, this topic is not very open in my family. I am just expected never to get pregnant before marriage. What if I do? How will my parents react? What will people think? Etc. This is when women like me feel alone, confused, and consider abortion. Women who do go through abortion should be supported for their own decision instead of being looked down upon by society. Women already have to deal with the emotional stress of losing their child. I do think counseling can helps women who have undergone abortion deal with things much better.
Abortion is a very complex, controversial, and sensitive topic that I have been continuously learning about for quite some time now, each time learning new information that either interests, confuses, or upsets me. It mind boggles me that anyone other then the pregnant woman herself would make the decision for her about whether or not to have an abortion. There is so much that goes into the process (emotional, physical, mental) then nobody on the outside, especially men involved, realize. There are also lots of barriers with getting an abortion, such as insurance and payments than can complicate things. For my presentation this week I specifically learned a great deal about the different procedures and types of abortion and which options are available at each trimester, and there are a number of options to chose from which can be a scary and tough decision as well. I think that support is the most important aspect of getting an abortion, as for most women it is a very emotional time. It is a shame that certain aspects of the whole process such as access- insurance, conflicting opinions (pro life or pro choice), crowded clinics causing a rushed procedure and after care, family/friend support, etc arise and make it that much harder for the mother. I thought that the readings gave a diverse outlook on abortion, especially the article by Jenny Higgins with the idea of accessing abortion. Clinics fill up so quickly that they do not have as much time to spend on each patient. Also, it is great that middle class women are educated about sexual education and therefore avoid more unplanned pregnancies, but for lower class women who are not as knowledgable it is more of an issue. Abortion is a very sensitive and personal topic, however many women are not given the opportuniy to see it that way, as Higgins says it is seen as “more an indication of social inequality, social limitations, and reproductive injustice.†Overall, I believe that is highly important- necessary- for women of all classes and race to be educated about sexual education and unprotected sex. They should be aware of the consequences such as unplanned pregnancies, and also how to access help and care if they need it. Abortion is available for women who need it, however it is essential that the woman considers the options (whether to have an abortion or not, or what type of abortion to get), and makes the choice herself and also has support of someone close to her to help her get through such a difficult time.
In discussions of abortion I think that the importance of ethnography and women’s stories of the abortion experience are integral to ‘normalizing’ the event (no matter how problematic that word is…). In my experience, as someone who has never had an abortion, but works extensively with reproductive justice groups, I’ve found events like Abortion Speak-Outs to be very moving and informative. Abortion Speak-Outs are more or less open forums for women/people who have had abortions to get up and speak to the audience about their personal experiences in a safe and respectful space. I’ve mostly been to the Speak-Outs put on by CLLP’s “From Abortion Rights to Social Justice†conference at Hampshire College every April. Speak-Outs are especially interesting when it is an intergenerational event. As shown in “Abortion: A matter of choice,†women in the United States have had various experiences with barriers to abortion access during different time periods. These events can show younger people what it was like to have abortion illegal in the United States and how important reproductive rights are in the legal sense of the term. Additionally, it is important to be cognizant of issues concerning reproductive justice specifically—particularly stories from underprivileged women. Although the conference at Hampshire tries to be as accessible as it can and visibly increases racial (and class) diversity on the campus for the weekend, a conference in an academic setting is not necessarily going to reach everyone. Either way, the Speak-Out at the conference is significant not only in showing the issues’ importance and connecting activists, but for putting a face, body, and voice to issues of access to abortion.
After reading the article, Abortion: A Matter of Choice, it is apparent that even though divorces happen, if a stable force is still present in the child’s life then they can beat the harsh statistics. Abortion is seen as an equalizer of women and this article talked about how teen mothers are often faced with the reality of knowing who is going to help them support them. The author talked about how she thinks that females should have a non-sexual male figure in order to live a balanced life. They need to have role models that can teach them about the male characteristics in order to be able to interact better with the opposite sex. She talks about how her personal choice is that no child of hers is going to be walking the earth without her knowing their circumstances, which would be what adoption would feel like to her. I think that she makes a lot of valid points, but I disagree that in order to be balanced you need to have a father in your life, but I agree that it is better for the child to have a support system of people that can love and nurture a child. It is important for women to know that they have a choice in the matter and it is important that society recognize the rights that a women has to make her own choice and not have one made for them. I think that this author provided valuable knowledge and a real life story to make abortion more real to readers like myself. Trying to fill voids from childhood often makes people more prone to do certain things and adults are trying to do things the way that they did not have. It is important that women of all ages know that they have a support system and can find people to depend on and that their choices matter and have validity and matter.
Abortion has always been an uncomfortable topic for me. Mostly because I was always told it was wrong. However, the more I read about reproductive justice the more comfortable I have become reading about this issue. Abortion: A Matter of Choice was good to read because it was an individual talking about her expierence and what it was like to have an illegal abortion and her reasons for doing so. I feel like if more stories were told than abortion would become less stigmitzed because it’s often spoke about as a “loose” women trying to get rid of a mistake. But a this article points out and I think is most often the case women’s reasons for getting an abortion are varied and each reason is valid in it’s own right. The only problem that I had with this article was was that it said that women who got to many abortions were irresponsible and I’m not sure that I agree with this wording. I think that we should be careful in how we talk about women who get mulitple abortions because they may have barriers to access of consistent birth control and by saying that multiple abortions are bad is kind of saying that abortion is bad, but is permissible when necessary. As an pro choice advocate I do not think that this type of rhetoric is helpful and further problematizes abortion.
While reading Judy Simmons’ recounts of her own pregnancy and abortion, as well as an acquaintance of hers, who we know as Renee, I couldn’t help but think about the feelings that my friend had after her abortion during high school. I remember her calling and telling me how empty she felt afterwards, and how she couldn’t imagine living with herself after having to abort the baby she was carrying. While I listened to and comforted her for months after, I really had no idea how to make her feel whole again, and this article reminded me of the lack of emotional support that she was given from those around her; there was no support system offered to her by other teens who had aborted their babies.
Although she was lucky enough to be granted a legal abortion in a hospital, unlike Judy Simmons, my friend still felt the pain of losing her unborn child. In this way, I think that Simmons’ opinion of aborting a pregnancy, which she says is far from the “melodramatic tragedy, social cancer, mortal sin, legislative crisis of genocidal master plan that various segments of the American public represent it to be†is an inaccurate description. While I understand that abortion now has much less of a stigma than before it became legalized in the United States, I still believe that Simmons’ explanation seems less than heartfelt.
Considering her experience with teen pregnancy and abortion – which seems to be traumatic – I was turned off by Simmons’ simplistic portrayal of the event. Maybe this is proof of her growth through time; however, like almost any other experience in a woman’s life, everyone experiences pain and loss differently. I believe that Simmons’ description is not one that should be considered the norm for those who go through an abortion, and, after observing my friend’s experience, there should be more action taken by public health care initiatives to improve the aftermath of United States teens that undergo abortions.