Abortion Rights: Women’s Right to Choose

Abortion has for a long time been an emotionally distressing topic especially for individuals faced with a tough choice of terminating a pregnancy or not. In the current world, abortion remains the most polarizing ethical issue around the globe. The two opposing sides in the controversy involves those who believe in the sanctity of life and those that stand with the women’s right to choose what is good for their bodies. In the United States, abortion has remained a controversial issue for a long time. It especially escalated after the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court that recognized abortion rights. This decision left the country polarized between pro-life supporters who would like to see the decision overturned and the pro-choice advocates who would love nothing more than seeing abortion rights upheld. Both pro-choice and pro-life supporters present great arguments to support their stands. For that reason, it is difficult for policymakers to make decisions regarding abortion rights. Nevertheless, it feels right to leave the choice of aborting in the hands of women since it is their bodies that are directly affected by abortion.

In the 1960s, there was no federal regulation in the United States that regulated abortions in the country (Greenhouse & Siegel, 2010). Many states during this time had banned abortion completely, and it was only allowed when medical practitioners determined that the life of the mother was in danger. Generally, many states adopted the current pro-life stand and considered abortion immoral and illegal. However, there were many cases of women dying as they sought black market abortion services. These deaths resulted in outrage among feminists who argued that illegalizing abortion only brought suffering among women as they were forced to seek unsafe black market services. As a result of this outcry, some states such the New York City and California started legalizing abortions (Greenhouse & Siegel, 2010). The feminist movements of the time sought to promote women’s right to terminate pregnancies in some instances without the interference of legal barriers. It is these movements that pushed for a case, Roe v. Wade that completely changed the dynamics of abortion in the U.S. The Supreme Court judges maintained that abortion rights are connected to the right to privacy implied in the 9th and 14th Amendments. This landmark ruling is proof abortion rights acknowledge women’s freedom as required by the United States statutes.

According to The Economist (2018), abortion rates are at their lowest since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling. The drop in abortion rates is observed across all age groups, but it is more significant among teenagers. The Economist (2018) asserts that abortion among girls of the ages between 15 and 19 has halved over the period between 2006 and 2015. The number of successful and safe abortions since the ruling has increased. This is due to the fact that women do not have to hide any more while carrying out the abortion of unwanted pregnancies. The Roe v. Wade ruling made it possible for the establishment of abortion clinics that ensure safe pregnancy termination procedures. The reduced number of women dying while seeking black market abortion services have also significantly reduced. This is proof that legalizing abortion and allowing women to have a choice for safe abortion procedures do save lives and prevent suffering among women.

States with strict abortion regulations are linked with child abuse and neglect. Unplanned births resulting from banning abortion rights increases the cases of child abuse. Children born of unplanned births are likely to be victims of child abuse. Countries that have made abortion illegal are likely to experience high cases of child abuse and neglect. Allowing women to choose when they want to have children can help eliminate this problem. Children born by willing parents are less likely to end up victims of child abuse since their existence have been planned for. Additionally, allowing abortion helps reduce the number of children placed under social services due to neglect by parents.

Upholding abortion rights is also beneficial in protecting vulnerable women in the country. Providing safe abortion is important for women struggling with both medical and social problems. Women at increased risk of inadequate medical and difficult social outcomes of pregnancy depend on abortion. Without upholding abortion right, it would be impossible for vulnerable women to access safe abortion services. As seen earlier, without safe abortion options women end up seeking black market abortion services which are dangerous. Victims of rape or incest, for instance, need to exercise their abortion rights since many are not willing to face the social stigma issues associated with such deeds. After the Roe v. Wade ruling, vulnerable women had access to safe abortion options which significantly reduced cases of women dying because of unsafe abortion procedures. This trend shows that allowing women to practice abortion rights freely helps in protecting vulnerable women in society.

Both men and women bear the responsibility of unwanted pregnancies. Society does not actively condemn men leaving their duties as it does in condemning abortion. If we truly live in a free and just society where everyone has a right for free determination, then women need to be granted their freedom to choose whether and when to have children. As a society, we cannot pretend to give women equal opportunity in places of work and education while the very fundamental decision of bearing children is not self-determined by women. Denying women abortion right is making them to unfairly take all the blame and hardships of unwanted pregnancies and ignoring the fact that men too are partially responsible. It is only fair to allow women to choose when and whether they want to bear children.

Anti-abortion regulations are punitive measures against innocent women exercising their freedom. According to Mangan (2018), pro-life supporters are not genuine in their claim and motive of the sanctity of life. Mangan (2018) argues that if they were at all authentic, they would be campaigning against war and ending famine and poverty which ends life on a daily basis. The ingenuity of pro-life supporters is evident in the provisions of extreme “heartbeat bill” passed in the state of Ohio. This bill criminalizes abortion carried out after the heartbeat of the fetus is detectable. After giving this bill, now the Ohio House of Representatives is working on another bill intended to make abortion illegal regardless of the situation at hand. This bill will be extreme to the extent that not even the health danger of mothers will be considered. The bill also intends to make abortion crimes punishable by death. The proposal of this bill is a clear indication that pro-life movements are not concerned with the sanctity of life. The fact that they are willing to use the death penalty in abortion cases indicates that they are more inclined towards punishing women for their choices than they are committed to protecting the life of the unborn.

Before the Roe v. Wade ruling, unplanned pregnancies usually resulted in unsafe abortions and forced marriages. Most women were forced to marry the father of their child despite the pregnancy being unplanned. Such marriages were short-lived and usually resulted in domestic violence. Since such marriages were based on unplanned situations, they had higher rates of failure. The Roe v. Wade ruling gave women the hope of forming marriage unions with the right partner without being forced by unplanned situations. In countries where abortion is illegal, there are many cases of failed marriages since there are a large number of women who are forced into marriages by unplanned pregnancies. Abortion rights are significant in ensuring women are not forced into marriages due to unplanned pregnancies.

As evidenced in the discourse, abortion rights are very significant in ensuring an equal and just society. Abortion rights play a significant role in protecting socially and medically vulnerable women in society as explained above. They provide victims of rape and incest with a choice. Importantly, abortion rights are influential in reducing rates of child abuse and neglect in society and also safe women from forced marriages. Since the Roe V. Wade ruling, there have been many positive consequences evidenced due to support of abortion rights. The number of unsafe abortion significantly reduced in the U.S. Evaluating the impacts of Roe V. Wade ruling proves beyond doubt that full emancipation of women in society requires upholding of abortion rights. Women’s freedom cannot be achieved if we continue to punish them for deciding on whether and when to terminate unplanned pregnancies.

 

 

References

Greenhouse, L., & Siegel, R. B. (2010). Before (and after) Roe v. Wade: New questions about backlash. Yale LJ, 120, 2028.

Mangan, L. (2018, November 27). Lucy Mangan powerfully explains why pro-life activism is never about saving lives. Retrieved from https://www.stylist.co.uk/people/lucy-mangan/heartbeat-bill-pro-life-abortions-america-lucy-mangan-this-weeks-issue-443/239530

The Economist. (2018, December 4). Why the number of abortions in America is at a historic low. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/12/04/why-the-number-of-abortions-in-america-is-at-a-historic-low