Talking About Abortion.

As important an issue this, my views on it are quite clear. Or they are to me at least. I am outwardly, pro-choice.

WAIT! Before you look away denouncing me as some sort of baby killer unworthy of your time please grant me a few moments more of your time to explain my opinion to you as plainly as possible.

I think that it should be the choice of the (hopefully) the two people involved in conception as to how they decide to proceed. It is after all, going to change their lives primarily, if not only their lives. I am not naive, I understand that many of the pro-choice arguments consist of people (usually women, usually feminists) screaming IT'S MY BODY, MY CHOICE! But I'm not going to do that because I know that something this complex should ideally involve more than just the woman.

I think people should have the choice, the option to get an abortion. I think this because I know of many people who have been in unimaginable situations that such as a victim of rape and another friend who was way too young and mentally unstable to raise a child alone.

I hate when I hear pro-lifers (normally religious people,) dismiss and vilify women or couples who have opted for an abortion as 'baby killers' or 'monsters' because the notion that the only people on the planet who would ever get an abortion are simply irresponsible heathens who hate children and just don't want the hassle is such a narrow minded view.

However, I can see it from the perspective of a pro-lifer (a religious one) the people who strongly believe that by having an abortion, you are harming a life given unto you by God. I get that, I've had that explained to me and I think I understand it as much as an atheist possibly can.

It would be genuinely interesting to speak with a non religious pro-lifer and see where their objections lie so if there is anyone who comes across this that fits that description I'd really love to hear from you. Obviously ALL opinions are welcome, I think it can only be a good thing to talk about something as serious as this and I'm hoping what I am about to say will encourage pro-lifers to share their opinions with me.

Yes. On the whole I think abortion should be an option to everyone. I think that taking away people's right to choose is harmful. To do it based upon an ancient book, well that would be ridiculous. Debates about who should have to fund them is obviously important because if you're pro-life, I imagine the thought of your money going towards something you are strongly against is infuriating.
And as I mentioned earlier discussions about the involvement of men (potential fathers) is more important still, what are their rights (none) and what should their rights be (certainly more than none, right?) but then how would you go about putting that into law without violating other human rights?

For me personally, the thought of ever getting an abortion terrifies me, I don't think I could do it. On a personal level, knowing myself I just don't know if I could stand the trauma of it or the guilt that I've witnessed a friend experience after she had an abortion. It never goes away. And I like to think that I will always be careful enough to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or be able to look at all other options thoroughly if it did. For ME it is a last resort.

And I would like to say that for most people (not crazy feminists,) abortion isn't just some random easy way out, two second thought thing. For most of the people that do it, it isn't a source of pride for them, they don't run home to tweet about it in glee, it is taboo, it is a shame and source of guilt and sometimes regret. To ignore those people when you rant on about 'baby killers' is to not understand the heaviness of that kind of decision.

I choose not to judge people I don't know for making decisions I hope I never ever have to make. And yes I'm sure I'll have someone say 'well what about the life that doesn't get to choose?' and to you I say (and you probably won't like this) legal abortions at least here in the UK, have to occur before the fetus can even become a baby. I often encounter pro-lifers with ridiculous pictures of alleged 'full term abortions' as if that is the norm and not something that happens on back streets illegally. And to those people I would also say, that making abortion illegal anyway will not prevent people from having them, it will just make it unsafe and their will be many more 'full term abortion' pictures for you to throw at pro-choices while you call them baby killers.

I would much rather have people properly treated when they make the decision that for most of them will be one of the hardest things they'll ever do rather than have to risk their lives in order to have control of their own lives. Yes there are people who are just plain irresponsible and those awful people who brag about having an abortion like it is nothing, it is not nothing. To the people to have had an abortion under pained circumstances, it is not nothing. And the pro-choices who brag about it, only seek to undermine those people's experience.

I hope any pro-lifers who may read this do not feel I have attacked them. I've tried to be as fair as possible, this is just my humble opinion, please feel free to disagree with me, I welcome it. It is only through having conversations with people who have differing views on this topic that I have been able to see it from their perspective and have softened on some things. The topic of abortion is one that is very close to my heart as it is for many people, its easy to get 'passionate' about it during discussions with others, I only ask that name calling (from either side) is kept out of it, nothing can be achieved that way.

Thank you for reading.

Love,

The Girl in Blue
xoxo