Within our society, abortion has always been a controversial and alienating issue. Fighting against culture, religion, politics, and various anti-abortion laws. Anti-abortion laws have been in action in each state at least since the 20th century. Women’s reproductive rights are constantly on the verge of collapsing and at risk of losing civil rights. Violating women’s political, social freedom, and equality. Impacting society by creating a war between people against abortion known as pro-life and people for abortion known as pro-choice. I feel very strongly on this topic since I am a woman as well as a feminist. I have known people who have been sexually assaulted or do not have financial support. Learning the fear and the struggles women face when it results in an unwanted traumatic pregnancy. In class, we have learned to listen respectfully, understand the reasons behind people’s actions, and focus on providing safety and comfort to those around us. Now it is our turn to listen and support those in need of guidance, comfort. To defend the natural rights and freedoms of women. Women’s access to get a legal and safe abortion has been limited and restricted in most countries around the world.
Resulting in women turning to illegal, unsanitary, dangerous procedures to prevent them from staying pregnant with an unwanted pregnancy. In addition, practically forcing these women to continue through with the pregnancy, refusing their natural rights to control what happens to their individual bodies. According to Nash (2021), “A significant body of scientific literature shows that the adverse consequences of withholding abortion care are serious and long lasting. Forcing someone who wants an abortion to continue a pregnancy requires them, against their wishes, to accept the great risks of pregnancy-and labor-related complications” (pp. 14-15). Around the 20th century, abortion became criminalized as well as abortion drugs. Even after they became illegal, practitioners did their work behind secret closed doors. During desperate measures, women resorted to dangerous or deadly measures just because the law refused their civil rights for their bodies. Other men and women decide the fate of women’s futures and their bodies without offering any safer options when deciding women’s pregnancy terms. Around the 1960s, the women’s rights movement started to take the scene, which continues to this day. The term “pro-choice” comes from women protesting about the abortion law, wanting to have control of their reproductive rights, not to have others decide whether they can give birth to a child or not. Coming from Walsh (2019), “..a so-called crisis pregnancy center, a facility intended to trick women into thinking it is an abortion clinic in order to coerce them into continuing their pregnancies”(pp. 30-33).
Taking advantage of distraught vulnerable women, intending to deceive women into not getting an abortion during a very emotional time. Before this class, I retained abortion rights information from the Roe vs. Wade case and my aunt Lisa, a feminist who taught me valuable life lessons. The Roe v. Wade decision’s biggest impact on society was that it reshaped American politics. Dividing the United States into abortion rights and anti-abortion movements and protests. On the side of “pro-choice,” most of its members are women, liberals, democrats, and college education. Providing women total freedom over the pregnancy during the first trimester. Considering the pro-choice a sociopolitical movement, having the right to terminate her pregnancy. Since 1969, NARAL has been the oldest abortion rights advocacy group in the United States, located in Washington, D. C. By voting to protect reproductive rights; you could be the change that helps women around the world be able to guarantee an easy way to birth control, prenatal care, abortion, sexual education, and proper treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the abortion movement are people known to be “pro-life.” Referring to the side of “pro-life” centers around people fighting induced abortion upon moral and religious judgments. Supporting its legal prohibition and limitation for abortions. The pro lifers are commonly seen at abortion clinics protesting and attempting to persuade patients walking inside the clinic to save the unborn child. The right-to-life movement is committed to preserving every human life, notwithstanding purpose, viability, or wellbeing concerns. Having the support from nearby churches, republicans, and conservatives. Furthermore, there are more men supporters for pro-life than women.
Considering that when women get abortions, it is considered assisted suicide or murder. Planned parenthood offers the option to those who cannot decide whether to keep the unborn baby or not. Educating the women with the options of giving birth and raising the child, taking medication, and getting a medical procedure that terminates the pregnancy known as abortion, or giving birth and or arranging the child with another person or family permanently recognized as adoption. As claimed by Mathewes-Green (1991), “Abortion is a tragic attempt to escape a desperate situation by an act of violence and self-loss”(p 28). Characterizing that after the procedure of abortion, it makes women feel neither happy nor free. Seeking to protect and keep intact all rights of human beings, even before they have been born into the world. As maintained by Ludlow (2012), “When the path into a clinic moves through conflict so intense that many have compared it to a war zone, no one is able to serve the needs of women well”(pp 474-483). Stating that no matter what choices are made, the needs of women are not fully satisfied, whether it is emotional support, full physical attention, or counseling after the procedure is completed. Resulting in permanent scarring on the women and the loss of a life of an unborn child that’s been aborted.
The controversial issue concentrating on abortion correlates to our in-class discussions through social value. Social value quantifies the values people place toward specific changes they encounter in their lives. Social value is placed on things in life that alter or cause an impact on the future. Such as getting an abortion, preventing another life from being born, or helping remove the predicament that causes emotional and physical trauma and or harm. Freedom and equal rights should apply to everybody, no matter what others’ beliefs and views are. We are our people, and no one should control specific parts of our bodies or lives. When focusing on the topic of abortion and reproductive rights is applicable towards the trait DAB model. It is connected because whether rights are given or not; it focuses on people’s decisions, attitudes, and beliefs. It is their individual decision to decide to get an abortion or not, deciding their future. People’s attitudes towards one another when encountering this controversial topic range from various different levels. Some are very passionate about abortion being legal, while others oppose it vigorously.
The strongest one is people’s beliefs, going off their religious beliefs, political beliefs, and personal beliefs. Correlating while returning everything to our class discussions and reflections. Abortion can be a very difficult and demanding topic, causing numerous troubles and obstacles along the way. Peaceful solutions are in plain sight, but emotions and beliefs overpower people; they do not recognize it. Instead of learning vital health information from your computer screen, ask a doctor. Personally, go to planned parenthood, or go inside an abortion clinic and educate yourself more on the topic. Learn the safety precautions taken during the procedure as well as the risks. Learn the psychological side of the females when discussing abortion. Although you do have your beliefs, nobody is in the wrong when making their choice. Learn to listen and understand both sides of the topic instead of fighting for what is considered “right.” Resources are all around you; you have to obtain a clear mind to comprehend fully. Taking into consideration the reasons behind people’s actions, look at the entire picture.