Abortion. Even the word instantly gets people’s backs up. I’ve been dragged into a few debates about this of recent times, due to the American elections and our own dear politicians making it clear that it’s time to rake over existing policies again, and my head hurts. Beloved TV reality star Nadine Dorries (of previous Tory fame), explained one of her reasons for her bold move of destroying her political credibility by appearing on Britain’s answer to Tekeshi’s castle, was so she could promote her views on lowering the abortion cut off point. I personally find all Tory policies much more credible when they are delivered with a mouthful of wallaby scrotum, but that’s just me. Maybe Mitt Romney would have won the US election if he’d tried something similar. Now there’s a thought.
The debate about abortion is sensitive because opinions are personal, and sometimes have nothing to do with the profile of a person’s political, religious or ethical standpoint. And yet it is constantly a topic for political point scoring. Abortion should not be a political discussion, but a medical and social one. Yet it is used as a party-political weapon for the simple fact that the topic is so rousing. I have heard of cases where people use a politician’s standpoint on abortion as their main reason for voting, even when they politically lean the other way (both pro and against). That is insane!
Whenever I hear politicians debating abortion I always think of the episode of The Simpsons where the aliens Kang and Kodos take over the American presidential candidates’ bodies and are having a debate:
Kang: (as Bob Dole) Abortions for all!
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Very well, no abortions for anyone!
(Crowd boos again)
Kang: Hmm... abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!
(Crowd cheers and waves miniature flags.)
Pretty much sums it up.
Contrary to what is perceived, there is no hard-line profile of a 'pro-lifer' or 'pro-choicer'. Yes lefty-liberal feminists tend to be pro-choice, and right-wing religious types tend to lean the other way, but the issue runs much deeper than that. I’ve seen feminist blogs spawn tremendous debates, where hard-line feminists come out as Pro-life, I’ve also seen statements from Christians who believe in a right to choose. Not to mention the old adage of "you're only one unplanned teenage pregnant daughter away from being pro-choice". The fact that the subject has boiled down to two rigid points of view, which are then used as religious and political propaganda, is frankly insulting, unhelpful and detrimental to a grown-up discussion about the subject. Debates on cut-off point, emotional impact, funding, and the role of emergency contraception are all needed, but as it stands, cannot happen freely, as the pro-choice camp don’t want to be seen as being flaky or reactionary; and the Pro-lifers are scared that if they give an inch they’ll lose their battle. This reactionary squabble has prompted white male politicians into making incredulous statements about rape being God’s will and saving the unborn over the life of the mother. The subject has created a stalemate.
So why can’t we all discuss this sensibly? Because the subject is ‘icky’ and makes people really uncomfortable. By being pro-choice you are essentially fighting for a woman’s right to choose, however you find yourself basically fighting for abortion. You stop becoming pro-choice and you start becoming pro-abortion – you’re sticking up for it: ‘go abortion, woohoo!!’ Politically, when you fight for something you want or need, you have to become a champion for it: ‘free healthcare, woo!’ ‘Equal pay, fantastic!’ ‘The right to love and marry whoever you want! Yes please!’ ‘The right to terminate unwanted pregnancies through surgical procedure! Yeeeeh’... You see? It doesn’t sound good.
We pro-choice types believe a woman has a right to control over her body and her life, has a right to choose not to be a mother, to not have a child she can’t care for emotionally or financially, has a right not to carry her rapist or abuser’s baby and has a right to save her own life over that of her unborn child in the case of a medical emergency... what Pro-lifers hear is: 'We like killing babies! We love it. We want to go around with pitchforks and abort all babies. We don’t like cute little babies, we’re just plain evil like that.'
You may think I’m being dramatic but this is what it boils down to. I recently posted a story about a women’s right to choose on a forum and this is, verbatim (unfortunately) the reply I got from one woman:
Even with obama elected we still have hope in God that the unborn will get a vocie from the church!!!!! I am a Christian your wrong you are not a christain to which I am guessing no because you think it is ok to kill babies!!!!!! All I have to say is wow we all have our own opinions and if you cant respect that thence so be it but it is wrong your killing babies I don't think someone should have a choice to kill their baby and I strongly believe this and am willing to go down in a fight or anything I have to just so I can get my messenge out my God, my savior on high will work it out my hope is not in a man or president but in my savior Jesus! So I will leave it to you to do the right choose but that is what is right that's what I believe!!!!!!!!
Sigh. So you see, there it is. I personally go around, killing little babies with my bare hands because I am pro-choice. This seems ridiculous, but I actually had a bit of an out-of-body experience during this, frankly far-too long, debate with this woman – who actually hurt me more with her spelling and grammar than when she accused me of being a baby killer – and saw what she saw. To someone with a fundamental stance against abortion, anyone who is pro-choice is pro-abortion. And that is what I would like to clear up if we are going to carry on having these debates.
Pro-choice people don't like abortions. We would love to wake up in a world where they weren't necessary, a world where no woman would ever have to go through one again! Nothing would please us more. But until we wake up in a world free from sexual abuse, domestic violence, incest and rape that’s not going to happen. Until we wake up to a world where all women have free or cheap access to birth control and contraception services and adequate sex education that isn’t going to happen. Until we have a world where women have enough money to feed their children, have enough help and support to raise them and adequate health care for them then abortion is still necessary. Without legal, safe abortions women will die. Women may die from complications in childbirth, from botched backstreet or self-abortion, or from suicide.
This is also a world where actually, sometimes accidents and mistakes happen, and women should have the choice to not bring a child she doesn’t want or can care for into the world. Not to mention the instances where wanted pregnancies are terminated because a mother has learned that her baby’s quality of life is at risk if they are born. Mothers who love enough that they take that unimaginably hard decision should be praised and given the utmost care, not have scorn poured upon them.
Ironically, it seems that those pro-lifers who are politically right-wing and full of religious fervour, are those people who often want to deny women birth control; want to keep women poor and powerless, want to deny them free health care and not provide protection from them being abused. Ironically they cause more women to be in a position where abortion is the only way out. The old liberal feminists over here (hi) are trying to fight the system so that women are safe and empowered and cared for, resulting less of them finding themselves in a position where they need an abortion. It’s so ironic that Alanis Morisette should write a song about it.
I’m not going to further this with discussions about when life starts or foetuses being only potential life and ‘clumps of cells’ etc. I am not a doctor and staunch pro-lifers will only ever see foetuses as fully formed, flag waving, in-utero mini-citizens in knitted hats and booties. But I do say to them: if you want to stop abortions then stop preaching, and start promoting services and policy that will help women out of situations where they need them, and promote sex education and contraception. Fight against poverty and unaffordable health care, and understand that many women who have abortions do so out of love and compassion for existing life. Now that would REALLY be pro-life.
