On the topic of abortion
As Row vs. Wade gets overturned, and many states in the US begin to make abortion illegal, there’s something I just can’t fathom. In a two hour drive while listening to it as the top story of the day, why was rape not mentioned?
Arguments I did hear:
Women and men need to be responsible and not get pregnant in the first place if they aren’t prepared to raise the baby to term. But what if someone’s body is forced to become impregnated? Women are expected to grow and raise babies with genes from people who violated their bodies, no matter what?
People raise the idea that women shouldn’t get to choose to abort if raising a baby is “inconvenient.” But what about a human being’s right to make decisions about her own body?
I don’t have a personal story about rape. But I can imagine for someone who may, it would be very hard to speak out about it. It’s also uncomfortable to think about it. To consider it. But we need to recognize that it does happen. And now if it happens in a state where abortion is no longer legal, these people will have to go through the logistical hassle of finding a way to get to a nearby state in order to do this while experiencing changes in her body. Can you imagine what that must be like? And if she is not successful at getting an abortion, what will society come to? It will certainly be difficult to talk to her growing baby about the father.
As a woman, I can say with conviction that having kids changes your life. There’s just nothing else like it. You go through hormonal changes, you feel heavier, and then a piece of you becomes outside of you, a brand new person, that you need to feed at night when you are used to sleeping (usually). It changes the life of men too. It changes you for years to come. Absolutely. It’s wonderful when growing a baby can happen through a loving partnership. It’s rewarding. Its fulfilling. It’s love. But the reality is this does not always happen. People are not perfect. We need to take each moment and make the most of it.
I pray for rape victims in this new reality that they will find a way to be ok.