Abortion messaging needs to change

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

This is where you lost all credibility. I mean this with all kindness, but if you have no idea based on personal experience what day to day life is like raising a SN child then stay in your own lane. Having "families around us" is not good enough. That is highly insulting to those who do live that experience.

The divorce rate of families with a SN child is something like 87%. Don't believe me? Here you go: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-better-divorce/202302/divorce-and-special-needs-children

You force all women to go to term, you are going to have a lot of children end up in state homes because parents don't want to raise them. That is a fact. Just look at other societies that banned abortion.

Good luck getting miserly Republicans to vote to give enough money to help families and orphanages to take care of severely disabled children. Won't happen.

A lot of people don't want to watch their child suffer in pain for 24 hours before dying and think it is kinder not to bring that child into the world. Parents should have the right to make that decision.

Oh and by the way, I was born with a serious congenital deformity/disability and I fully support the right of women choose abortion if that is the best thing for themselves and their families. You don't speak for my community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

What I choose is mine of your effing concern.

Isn’t it? If you saw someone beating their child, would you say that is none of your concern?

Child, you are the one cruising for a bruising if you think you are going to tell my kid what she can and cannot do with her uterus. Stay out of these decisions for other women. They are not your concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

What I choose is mine of your effing concern.

Isn’t it? If you saw someone beating their child, would you say that is none of your concern?

Ha, like they would have a problem with beating a child in a red state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

You’re a real crap person. 38 weeks? That doesn’t happen. And also, forcing other humans to risk their life, health, and fertility to carry a baby full term just to watch it die is unfathomable. That’s not your choice to make, and your condescension that they don’t value those much loved and wanted children just because they cannot, for their own reasons whatever they are, carry a dying child to term, is just so cruel. Your scenario is not today’s reality, where a woman discovers a terrible diagnosis of incompatibility with life much earlier than 38 weeks and the untreatable conditions (heart problems are luckily much more treatable now, even in utero) are just that. Risking possible financial ruin, stress on a marriage, health and fertility being risked with each additional day of pregnancy, for a baby that will not live and might suffer for the brief time they do live. It shouldn’t be up to anyone else, not me, not you, not the state, when that’s the situation.

I’m glad your mother found comfort in your sibling’s brief life. But your story is just that, a story and not relevant to another woman’s life and choices.

It’s euthanasia.
I don’t support euthanasia.
I believe on a deep level that we should not take human lives, ever. We cannot always save them. Sometimes we can only provide pain relief and palliative care. We should also respect life by not prolonging it with invasive treatments. But we should not be actively taking lives.

Are you a vegan? Do you support banning guns? Do you support getting rid of the military?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

This is where you lost all credibility. I mean this with all kindness, but if you have no idea based on personal experience what day to day life is like raising a SN child then stay in your own lane. Having "families around us" is not good enough. That is highly insulting to those who do live that experience.

The divorce rate of families with a SN child is something like 87%. Don't believe me? Here you go: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-better-divorce/202302/divorce-and-special-needs-children

You force all women to go to term, you are going to have a lot of children end up in state homes because parents don't want to raise them. That is a fact. Just look at other societies that banned abortion.

Good luck getting miserly Republicans to vote to give enough money to help families and orphanages to take care of severely disabled children. Won't happen.

A lot of people don't want to watch their child suffer in pain for 24 hours before dying and think it is kinder not to bring that child into the world. Parents should have the right to make that decision.

Oh and by the way, I was born with a serious congenital deformity/disability and I fully support the right of women choose abortion if that is the best thing for themselves and their families. You don't speak for my community.

Exactly. Did that PP pay all those bills?

Being a parent if a Special Needs child is incredibly difficult and I would not foist that responsibility on anyone.

I love my son, but stopped at one because of his needs.

[Anonymous]

I’ve only read the original post, so pardon me if this has been said.

I am an atheist who was open to the idea of restrictions after 18 weeks. Then, the republicans showed me they can’t be trusted to make any decisions about abortions. I was really hopeful, and then it became abundantly clear that they had absolutely no concern for the health or wellbeing of women, and wanted only window dressing exemptions. Hard no one that. Women don’t need to be dying for your cause. F your idea of what you think is acceptable. Your decisions should begin and end inside within the confines of your own body.

The abortion rate is the lowest it’s ever been, and republicans want to go after birth control. It was never about protecting fetuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve only read the original post, so pardon me if this has been said.

I am an atheist who was open to the idea of restrictions after 18 weeks. Then, the republicans showed me they can’t be trusted to make any decisions about abortions. I was really hopeful, and then it became abundantly clear that they had absolutely no concern for the health or wellbeing of women, and wanted only window dressing exemptions. Hard no one that. Women don’t need to be dying for your cause. F your idea of what you think is acceptable. Your decisions should begin and end inside within the confines of your own body.

The abortion rate is the lowest it’s ever been, and republicans want to go after birth control. It was never about protecting fetuses.

Which is why the 4th sentence of my original post clearly stated that I am not asking anyone to agree with me. And I have wasted way too much of my day repeated this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

Ok let’s say you are in a burning building. To your right is a 2 year old child. To your left is 40 embryos in Petri dishes. You can only save one. Which one do you choose? If you would save 1 life instead of 40, then you know it is not the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

You’re a real crap person. 38 weeks? That doesn’t happen. And also, forcing other humans to risk their life, health, and fertility to carry a baby full term just to watch it die is unfathomable. That’s not your choice to make, and your condescension that they don’t value those much loved and wanted children just because they cannot, for their own reasons whatever they are, carry a dying child to term, is just so cruel. Your scenario is not today’s reality, where a woman discovers a terrible diagnosis of incompatibility with life much earlier than 38 weeks and the untreatable conditions (heart problems are luckily much more treatable now, even in utero) are just that. Risking possible financial ruin, stress on a marriage, health and fertility being risked with each additional day of pregnancy, for a baby that will not live and might suffer for the brief time they do live. It shouldn’t be up to anyone else, not me, not you, not the state, when that’s the situation.

I’m glad your mother found comfort in your sibling’s brief life. But your story is just that, a story and not relevant to another woman’s life and choices.

It’s euthanasia.
I don’t support euthanasia.
I believe on a deep level that we should not take human lives, ever. We cannot always save them. Sometimes we can only provide pain relief and palliative care. We should also respect life by not prolonging it with invasive treatments. But we should not be actively taking lives.

Are you a vegan? Do you support banning guns? Do you support getting rid of the military?

No, because animals are not humans.
Yes I support banning the types of guns that are used in mass shootings. Individual citizens should not own weapons of mass destruction.
I reluctantly concede that having military is necessary for our country to defend itself, and therefore saves lives (in theory) Whether it has been used that way or really in any good way for the past several decades is another question.

But most abortions aren’t performed in self defense.
I’m not even totally against abortion. I’m for easy access to early abortions, regardless of the reason. If it’s truly a matter of saving a mother’s life over the fetus, then I choose the saving the mother. But I can’t get on board with the idea that a fetus is absolutely not human until it is born.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

Ok let’s say you are in a burning building. To your right is a 2 year old child. To your left is 40 embryos in Petri dishes. You can only save one. Which one do you choose? If you would save 1 life instead of 40, then you know it is not the same.

Dude you are asking the wrong person. I never made claims about “saving the embryos” nor have I taken any position that all abortions are murder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

This is where you lost all credibility. I mean this with all kindness, but if you have no idea based on personal experience what day to day life is like raising a SN child then stay in your own lane. Having "families around us" is not good enough. That is highly insulting to those who do live that experience.

The divorce rate of families with a SN child is something like 87%. Don't believe me? Here you go: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-better-divorce/202302/divorce-and-special-needs-children

You force all women to go to term, you are going to have a lot of children end up in state homes because parents don't want to raise them. That is a fact. Just look at other societies that banned abortion.

Good luck getting miserly Republicans to vote to give enough money to help families and orphanages to take care of severely disabled children. Won't happen.

A lot of people don't want to watch their child suffer in pain for 24 hours before dying and think it is kinder not to bring that child into the world. Parents should have the right to make that decision.

Oh and by the way, I was born with a serious congenital deformity/disability and I fully support the right of women choose abortion if that is the best thing for themselves and their families. You don't speak for my community.

Exactly. Did that PP pay all those bills?

Being a parent if a Special Needs child is incredibly difficult and I would not foist that responsibility on anyone.

I love my son, but stopped at one because of his needs.

My position is that it would be wrong to euthanize a viable fetus in the womb at 28 weeks just as it would be wrong to euthanize a preemie born at 28 weeks.

I wouldn’t wish it on anyone either, but at a certain point, it’s just too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You said a lot of words scolding the Democrats for not being able to stop the torrent of lies issuing from the mouths and fingers of Republicans.

YES!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

What I choose is mine of your effing concern.

Isn’t it? If you saw someone beating their child, would you say that is none of your concern?

Child, you are the one cruising for a bruising if you think you are going to tell my kid what she can and cannot do with her uterus. Stay out of these decisions for other women. They are not your concern.

I truly don’t care what anyone does with their uterus.
But I can understand the position of wanting to protect innocent human life. I don’t personally identify as pro-life, but I’m aware that some who do, have a sincerely held belief that a person becomes a person some time before birth (I don’t agree with my conservative cousin, for example, when that is) and that by ending the pregnancy you are ending a life. You are not doing your movement any favors by refusing to even discuss or acknowledge it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

Ok let’s say you are in a burning building. To your right is a 2 year old child. To your left is 40 embryos in Petri dishes. You can only save one. Which one do you choose? If you would save 1 life instead of 40, then you know it is not the same.

Dude you are asking the wrong person. I never made claims about “saving the embryos” nor have I taken any position that all abortions are murder.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your post, but you seem to be saying there is no line to draw between child, baby, newborn, and fetus.

I am very sorry about your brother and what your family went through.
I am not trying to draw a comparison here because it is not the same. But I see Instagram influencers decide to carry a fetus to term after being told they will only just weeks or months to live and that they will be extremely uncomfortable and in pain during that time. Those parents spend that time posting the poor child all over the internet for likes and follows. It is heartbreaking. I respect their right to carry the baby to term and I can’t predict what choice I would make in that position. From the outside looking in, it seems that abortion might have been the merciful choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any anyway, if killing a special needs child because the family can’t cope is not ok, is it ok to kill a baby? And if it’s not ok to kill a newborn baby, why is it ok to kill a fetus?

And if you are ok with killing a special needs fetus at 38 weeks, are you also ok with killing healthy fetuses at 38 weeks?

I am not ok with either.
I am also not ok that collectively speaking we do not give humanity to fetuses who are found to have defects or disabilities. I can certainly understand and have compassion for families that would choose to end such pregnancies, but that does not make it right. We need to do better to support those families raising special needs families. We might better do so if more of us could actually see them.

And if you tell me that I can’t possibly understand the plight of these families, I will tell you that I do, because I was in such a family. I saw my brother being born, and then I saw him diagnosed with a fatal heart defect days later. We were extremely poor, my parents couldn’t afford a hospital birth let alone the bills that came later after the diagnosis. We took my brother home to receive palliative care and he died a few days later. It was hard for all of us, and horrible for my mom. But not one of us can imagine that it would have been less horrible for her to abort.
We treasured our few days with my brother.

I gave birth to healthy children but have families around us where this was not so. I cannot imagine those children not being here, or being less valuable. Remember that any person could become disabled at any time in their life. That does not diminish their humanity.

What I choose is mine of your effing concern.

Isn’t it? If you saw someone beating their child, would you say that is none of your concern?

Child, you are the one cruising for a bruising if you think you are going to tell my kid what she can and cannot do with her uterus. Stay out of these decisions for other women. They are not your concern.

I truly don’t care what anyone does with their uterus.
But I can understand the position of wanting to protect innocent human life. I don’t personally identify as pro-life, but I’m aware that some who do, have a sincerely held belief that a person becomes a person some time before birth (I don’t agree with my conservative cousin, for example, when that is) and that by ending the pregnancy you are ending a life. You are not doing your movement any favors by refusing to even discuss or acknowledge it.

We discuss it all the time. The compromise of roe was where it landed and was in place for almost 50 years.

It also protected fertility clinics and healthcare practitioners. Now some are being driven out of certain states and increasing the risk for women in the state that need obstetrical care.

The anti abortion side took their ignorant simplistic view of abortion and smashed it with a sledgehammer and began the destruction of the entire maternal healthcare systems in some states.