In Demand.
April 20, 2012
Bill on X-case Abortion Legislation Defeated.
I’m not pro-abortion.
Abortion isn’t pleasant, either as a concept or as a process. It is not a choice taken lightly. It is an invasive, difficult, and sometimes painful procedure, and it has complex emotional ramifications that are unique to the woman, or couple, who have chosen it. Abortion is not something women choose to undergo on a whim. It is not like popping to the doctor to fill a prescription.
Some people say that women deserve better than abortion. Of course we do. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need abortion. In an ideal world, there would always be a better choice.
In an ideal world, there would be no unwanted pregnancies. Sex education would be non-judgemental, comprehensive, and available to everyone. Contraception would be acceptable, accessible, affordable, and infallible.
In an ideal world, pregnancy would be a safe time for both mother and developing baby. Pregnancies would never be untenable. Foetuses would develop without complications. All babies would be born alive and healthy and capable of surviving outside the womb. Pregnancy would never endanger a woman’s life. Women would never develop complex health problems, like cancer, when pregnant. Women would never have to choose between their lives and the potential for life inside of them. Expectant parents would never have to choose between termination, and carrying a dying foetus to term.
In an ideal world, women who became pregnant would always be in a position, financially, physically and emotionally, to care for a baby. Men would not abandon their pregnant partners. Parents of pregnant girls and women would always be supportive. The community around the pregnant girl or woman would never be judgemental. The environment in which the pregnant girl or woman lived would never be hostile, harsh or dangerous. The world in which a pregnant girl or woman would be bringing new life into would always be accepting, nurturing and safe.
In an ideal world, women’s bodies would never work against them. Women would not be fertile whether or not they wanted to be, whether or not they were capable of understanding fertility. Girls’ and boys’ bodies would not mature before their minds. In an ideal world, people would not make mistakes. They would not take chances. They would not be convinced or coerced to take chances. They would not be afraid to speak up for and protect themselves.
In an ideal world, women and girls would never be made pregnant by rape. In an ideal world, evil, abusive people would not use sexual violence as a way of hurting, subjugating, or controlling women. Natural, female biology would not be seen as a method of oppression. Women would not be seen as second-class citizens because of their natural biological role. Little girls would not be viewed as sexual objects, as property, as vessels. Little boys would not be taught entitlement.
In an ideal world, a pregnant woman’s body would not become a political tool. In an ideal world, women would be trusted to make the decisions that are correct for their own personal circumstances, and they would be able to make these decisions in a world that wasn’t afraid of sex, afraid of women, afraid of anything outside of narrow personal experience.
But this is not an ideal world. People choose abortions for all sorts of reasons. None of the circumstances in which people choose abortion are enviable. Fornicating harlots are not skipping to abortion clinics to flush out the hangover from their latest one-night stand. Women, if given the freedom to choose their own paths, will not rush off to haphazardly sex-up the nearest man and then terminate any resulting pregnancy just for the hell of it.
Friends might think that this would be a tough one for me. I am the result of an unwanted pregnancy. I was adopted. Did I have the right to life? That's a loaded, blind-siding question, bordering absurdity. Of course it's easy for me to say now, but how could my potential life have been more important than the life of my biological mother? Would it have made any difference if I wasn't here? I'd never have known, would I? All I can say is that I hope the choice my biological mother made was the right one for her. It's not easy, thinking that your own existence could have ruined someone else's.
I dread to think of myself ever being in a situation where termination of a pregnancy would be the best option. I can’t even fathom what I would do, how I would cope. And if I can’t even fathom what I would do, how could I ever make another woman’s decision for her? How could I ever tell someone that they couldn’t have an abortion? What kind of heartless, arrogant fool could presume dominion over the lives of women he or she knows nothing about?
But I’m not pro-abortion. Nor am I anti-life.
I am pro-choice. In all good conscience, I could be no other way.
I’m not pro-abortion.
Abortion isn’t pleasant, either as a concept or as a process. It is not a choice taken lightly. It is an invasive, difficult, and sometimes painful procedure, and it has complex emotional ramifications that are unique to the woman, or couple, who have chosen it. Abortion is not something women choose to undergo on a whim. It is not like popping to the doctor to fill a prescription.
Some people say that women deserve better than abortion. Of course we do. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need abortion. In an ideal world, there would always be a better choice.
In an ideal world, there would be no unwanted pregnancies. Sex education would be non-judgemental, comprehensive, and available to everyone. Contraception would be acceptable, accessible, affordable, and infallible.
In an ideal world, pregnancy would be a safe time for both mother and developing baby. Pregnancies would never be untenable. Foetuses would develop without complications. All babies would be born alive and healthy and capable of surviving outside the womb. Pregnancy would never endanger a woman’s life. Women would never develop complex health problems, like cancer, when pregnant. Women would never have to choose between their lives and the potential for life inside of them. Expectant parents would never have to choose between termination, and carrying a dying foetus to term.
In an ideal world, women who became pregnant would always be in a position, financially, physically and emotionally, to care for a baby. Men would not abandon their pregnant partners. Parents of pregnant girls and women would always be supportive. The community around the pregnant girl or woman would never be judgemental. The environment in which the pregnant girl or woman lived would never be hostile, harsh or dangerous. The world in which a pregnant girl or woman would be bringing new life into would always be accepting, nurturing and safe.
In an ideal world, women’s bodies would never work against them. Women would not be fertile whether or not they wanted to be, whether or not they were capable of understanding fertility. Girls’ and boys’ bodies would not mature before their minds. In an ideal world, people would not make mistakes. They would not take chances. They would not be convinced or coerced to take chances. They would not be afraid to speak up for and protect themselves.
In an ideal world, women and girls would never be made pregnant by rape. In an ideal world, evil, abusive people would not use sexual violence as a way of hurting, subjugating, or controlling women. Natural, female biology would not be seen as a method of oppression. Women would not be seen as second-class citizens because of their natural biological role. Little girls would not be viewed as sexual objects, as property, as vessels. Little boys would not be taught entitlement.
In an ideal world, a pregnant woman’s body would not become a political tool. In an ideal world, women would be trusted to make the decisions that are correct for their own personal circumstances, and they would be able to make these decisions in a world that wasn’t afraid of sex, afraid of women, afraid of anything outside of narrow personal experience.
But this is not an ideal world. People choose abortions for all sorts of reasons. None of the circumstances in which people choose abortion are enviable. Fornicating harlots are not skipping to abortion clinics to flush out the hangover from their latest one-night stand. Women, if given the freedom to choose their own paths, will not rush off to haphazardly sex-up the nearest man and then terminate any resulting pregnancy just for the hell of it.
Friends might think that this would be a tough one for me. I am the result of an unwanted pregnancy. I was adopted. Did I have the right to life? That's a loaded, blind-siding question, bordering absurdity. Of course it's easy for me to say now, but how could my potential life have been more important than the life of my biological mother? Would it have made any difference if I wasn't here? I'd never have known, would I? All I can say is that I hope the choice my biological mother made was the right one for her. It's not easy, thinking that your own existence could have ruined someone else's.
I dread to think of myself ever being in a situation where termination of a pregnancy would be the best option. I can’t even fathom what I would do, how I would cope. And if I can’t even fathom what I would do, how could I ever make another woman’s decision for her? How could I ever tell someone that they couldn’t have an abortion? What kind of heartless, arrogant fool could presume dominion over the lives of women he or she knows nothing about?
But I’m not pro-abortion. Nor am I anti-life.
I am pro-choice. In all good conscience, I could be no other way.
Posted by Lisa McInerney. Posted In : Politics
Divil a bit: Irish slang, a jovial answer to a what-are-y'up-ta, meaning "nothing at all".
Scribble a bit: Irish blog, by Irish writer, containing nothing at ... Oh.
