Why is abortion such a personal issue for most women?

[Anonymous]

I didn't read the forgoing comments but my only reason is this, it is my body I will do with it as I choose. It is a very slippery slope allowing the government any authority over it. I do however think that there should absolutely be limitations on how late in the pregnancy it can happen and under what circumstances. I also do not believe for a minute that vast majority go into this with a flippant attitude. It's a by serious and personal journey I don't need a select few telling me what's best for me, I can make that decision.

[Anonymous]

Reminds me of the saying that everyone who is pro-choice has already been born.

[Anonymous]

Pretty simple--I consider it a personal issue because when I needed one I was able to get one easily, quickly and affordably, and I would want any woman to be able to do the same.

(And no, I wasn't raped, a teenager, etc--I was irresponsible about using BC with my serious boyfriend in my mid-twenties while making a very good salary and just knew I wasn't ready for a kid. Situation doesn't matter to me.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty simple--I consider it a personal issue because when I needed one I was able to get one easily, quickly and affordably, and I would want any woman to be able to do the same.

(And no, I wasn't raped, a teenager, etc--I was irresponsible about using BC with my serious boyfriend in my mid-twenties while making a very good salary and just knew I wasn't ready for a kid. Situation doesn't matter to me.)

+1 plus I care so much because I am a woman - it's pretty plain and simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read the forgoing comments but my only reason is this, it is my body I will do with it as I choose. It is a very slippery slope allowing the government any authority over it. I do however think that there should absolutely be limitations on how late in the pregnancy it can happen and under what circumstances. I also do not believe for a minute that vast majority go into this with a flippant attitude. It's a by serious and personal journey I don't need a select few telling me what's best for me, I can make that decision.

I had a late term abortion for birth defects. They weren't found until 18 weeks and I had trouble believing the defects. We had many more ultrasounds and tests that put us at week 22 for termination. Believe me, I wish I had known at 6 weeks. The vast majority of mother's life/ birth defects are found around week 20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reminds me of the saying that everyone who is pro-choice has already been born.

My mother briefly considered having an abortion when she learned she was pregnant with me, because her family was extremely conservative and she was not yet married to my father, who was of another ethnicity. I certainly don't resent her for thinking through all her options, and if I had been aborted, I wouldn't have been able to resent her either My two beautiful children would not exist today, but other beautiful children would have taken their place. To me, life and death have to be put in their right perspective. I would not place a life unborn above a certain level of suffering and trauma to the mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help me understand.

I am a middle class 30 year old married woman. I am pro-life but believe in abortion for extreme circumstances such as rape, health of the mother being in danger and possibly fetus abnormalities. I pray and wish to never have to make this horrible decision in my life.

As such, I do not understand why this is such a widespread issue. For most everyday people...they will not have to hopefully deal with it. We don;t all want to abort as a plan B now do we?

The fact of the matter is that far more women that you wish to believe will have to deal with an unintended pregnancy. Also, pro-lifers often don't support birth control or universal child care or welfare. It's unfortunate that you are unable to put yourself in the shoes of a woman with less fortunate circumstances than you.

This is not true. I am pro-life but I use birth control. I just do not think something as radical and dangerous as an abortion should be done routinely or frivolously.

Why do people seem to believe women have abortions "frivolously"? Birth control fails, some pregnancies threaten the health of the woman, sometimes a 18 year old is careless and gets pregnant but realizes she isn't able to raise a child at that age... I don't presume to be better equipped to make a decision for those women than they can make for themselves, it's no one else's business.

[Anonymous]

The "frivolous abortion" comments above only undermine the pro-lifers' cause. I think, when it comes down to it, people want to bar abortions because they want to punish women for having 'frivolous' sex. Women are expected to be chaste and planned in their sexual encounters, and shamed if they err outside puritanical sexual norms. You have a steamy one-night affair? Shame on you, and now you will be punished by bearing this child to term.

We have very easy, early stage abortion methods that most people agree is not "murder" but simply the removal of a cluster of cells. If you believe that this cluster of cells shouldn't be aborted, then by all means don't have an abortion. But it makes no sense to ban abortion for the rest of us who don't think this is murder. The GOP's desire to both ban sexual education, birth control AND abortion is overwhelming evidence that this has nothing to do with the unborn babies, but does have to do with punishing and shaming 'unchaste' women. That there HAS to be some consequences for these women's 'frivolous' actions.

And it all ties back to OP's comments about 'frivolous abortion'. She's not condemning the frivolous abortion. She's condemning the frivolous sex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a wide variety of reasons why someone may choose abortion. That is a serious decision for that person and her doctor to make. Not me. And certainly not the government.

The thing that I don't get is why pro-lifers stop caring about that life after it's born.

Why do you think they don't care?

Also I said that I am okay with abortion for extremely unfortunate circumstances. If a pregnancy is not viable or a danger to the mother, that is okay and should be legal everywhere. My issue is with frivolous abortions.

Where are the pro-lifers pushing for welfare benefits? Adopting foster children? Other services that help children?

And "frivolous" is arbitrary. It's a decision for the woman and her doctor. Your opinion doesn't matter.

Not saying that all pro-lifers follow all these points, but I cannot understand how someone can believe the following:

1. No birth control. Conflicts with our role in public vs private.
2. No abortions. I believe it is against my faith and no one else should be able to do it.
3. No public support/welfare. Costs too much money to the tax payer and these parents should make their own decisions.
4. No abandoning kids and single parent homes. Horrible parenting.
5. These children are hoodlums that are threats to society.
6. Wash, rinse, repeat.

This administration has introduced policy to define life at the point of FERTILIZATION. That is basically trying to overturn Roe v Wade.
FWIW, I am a believer in God and Christ.

I suggest you read 'thinking fast and slow' is some of the other works by/about Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, the psychology of decision making, etc. long answer short: humans aren't rational thinkers.

[Anonymous]

Because pregnancy and childbirth take a physical and economic toll on women with no equivalent for men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "frivolous abortion" comments above only undermine the pro-lifers' cause. I think, when it comes down to it, people want to bar abortions because they want to punish women for having 'frivolous' sex. Women are expected to be chaste and planned in their sexual encounters, and shamed if they err outside puritanical sexual norms. You have a steamy one-night affair? Shame on you, and now you will be punished by bearing this child to term.

We have very easy, early stage abortion methods that most people agree is not "murder" but simply the removal of a cluster of cells. If you believe that this cluster of cells shouldn't be aborted, then by all means don't have an abortion. But it makes no sense to ban abortion for the rest of us who don't think this is murder. The GOP's desire to both ban sexual education, birth control AND abortion is overwhelming evidence that this has nothing to do with the unborn babies, but does have to do with punishing and shaming 'unchaste' women. That there HAS to be some consequences for these women's 'frivolous' actions.

And it all ties back to OP's comments about 'frivolous abortion'. She's not condemning the frivolous abortion. She's condemning the frivolous sex.

+1
The worst part of this is that by not allowing abortion the outcome would be punishing women by forcing them to be parents- and then no further thought to what that means to the woman or the child who didn't ask to be born. My body, my business, period. Abortion will exist regardless of legality, there's no humane reason to make it difficult or dangerous to get.

[Anonymous]

The bigger question is:

Why aren't women supported by more women?

Looking at you, Trump voters.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, but do you know any woman who has had a "frivolous abortion?" This is pretty antithetical. I would guess in VERY rare instances is it as "frivolous" as you might assume.

[Anonymous]

I was born to a poor unwed mother 1 year before abortions became legal. My mother is a liberal and I know she would have aborted me if it were legal. I am really glad to be on this planet as are my children. I got myself out of poverty. When I was in my 20's over half of my college educated friends had abortions because they were not married and having a baby did not fit their plan. Life begins at conception and it has nothing to do with religion. It is pure biology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a wide variety of reasons why someone may choose abortion. That is a serious decision for that person and her doctor to make. Not me. And certainly not the government.

The thing that I don't get is why pro-lifers stop caring about that life after it's born.

Why do you think they don't care?

Also I said that I am okay with abortion for extremely unfortunate circumstances. If a pregnancy is not viable or a danger to the mother, that is okay and should be legal everywhere. My issue is with frivolous abortions.

My issue is that you don't get to decide what is frivolous for another woman.