The pro-choice, anti-choice debate is a very interesting debate. People who are pro-choice say, “Women should have rights over their own body!” and, “My body, my choice!” People who are anti-choice (I purposefully use the term “anti-choice” as opposed to “pro-life,” because then what? Are people who are pro-choice anti-life?) argue that abortion is the same or worse than killing children, and the right to live is more important than the right to choose. I think these are all fair points, but women should still have a right over their own body.
First, let me break down some stereotypes for people who are against the right to choose. Abortions are not fun. Nobody says to their friends, “What should I do today? Should I go to the mall, or should I get an abortion?” Abortions are tough decisions women make that is based on what is best for them. There is no such thing as a “just-for-fun” abortion. Furthermore, I am not pro-abortion. I think that every fetus who could possibly be born into this world should be born into this world. This is just not the case for every pregnant woman.
Women should support the right to choose because stuff happens. I like to think of people who are anti-choice are put into two categories: the people who are against abortions in all circumstances, and the people who are against abortions except for cases of rape and incest. My issue with the second category is that sex and consent can be a complicated matter. To be clear, I am not saying consent is complicated, yes means yes. Period. Sometimes sexual experiences can be viewed as consensual, but not good for other reasons. Maybe a woman wanted to experiment with something and the man took things further than she would have liked. Maybe she does not label it as sexual assault, but should she have to have a man’s baby who was out of line? To be clear, I am using heteronormative language because only a biological female can get pregnant with a biological male, but of course sex can get uncomfortable or be non-consensual with two women or two men.
There are also cases like the infamous situation with Aziz Ansari. Many people, including me and the people I have spoken with, would argue that what Aziz Ansari did was not okay, and men should learn from that experience, but we would not consider that sexual assault. To be clear, she did not seem to label it that way either. But this woman who slept with Aziz Ansari said she felt uncomfortable while they were hooking up. What if she had gotten pregnant? Should she not be able to get an abortion after an uncomfortable situation? Sex is complicated, and so are abortions.
By not allowing women to get abortions, people are limiting women’s sexuality. Men can sleep with whoever they want and not have to deal with pregnancy physically, whereas women do. Women then have to take time off work to have a baby, and are not able to get ahead in their careers in the same way men can. It also costs a lot of money for women to be pregnant, the money that some women do not have. Nobody can ever know what they would do if they were in that position.
There are many other reasons to be pro-choice, but the bottom line is that women should support other women, and the only way we can fully support each other is to be pro-choice.