Secret Abortions and Abortion Mills
Well, this pisses me off. "The House passed a bill on Wednesday making it a federal crime for any adult to transport an under-age girl across state lines to have an abortion without the consent of her parents." Excerpt, what?
Supporters characterize the measure as pro-family, saying it will prevent abusive boyfriends and others from taking vulnerable young women across state lines to receive "secret abortions" against their will. They say that the decision to have an abortion should rest solely with the parents. Amendments that would have allowed grandparents or members of the clergy to accompany the young women were rejected.
This is the single stupidest paragraph I think I've ever read. I don't even know what to say. The fact that they use the term "secret abortions" is bad enough. Later, they throw in "abortion mills." I hate how people think it's some easy decision. You know, your *parents* could force you to have an abortion, too. Not just some "abusive boyfriend," which I'm sure happens so often anyway.
Abortion and homophobia are my hot-button issues, I guess. You know, I remember being 17. I couldn't even tell my parents I hadn't yet applied to U of M in January (I was repeatedly told, however, that I wouldn't get in -- if you know my grades/ACTs, you'd know how stupid that was, but I believed it at the time). How the hell I'd tell them I'd been either dumb, irresponsible, or possibly just unlucky enough to have gotten pregnant, I don't know. I don't personally think that I believe in abortion. I say I don't think, because what if I was suddenly pregnant at some point in my life, out of wedlock? To be honest, I don't know how I'd feel or what I'd do. I'd like to, at least, have the option. Basically, if you get pregnant randomly, all the options kind of suck in their own way.
I mean, do these dudes who represent "us" know what it's like to have a real secret abortion -- an illegal abortion? How about having to road trip to somewhere by yourself to get one because they're illegal in your state? Or how about sitting in a dirty room with some sketchy dude with a coathanger in hand? There aren't people in my generation that "get" just what that means. But it's imperative that we at least try to understand.
Abortion will not disappear if it is outlawed, the same way drug use flourishes despite being illegal and the same way Prohibition did little to curb drinking. It will just become unsafe and more traumatic than it already is. Maybe you'll go to Canada; maybe you'll head to Maine, where a kindly, ether-sniffing doctor who takes care of orphans will perform one. I don't know and I can't know. But I know that access is eroding and that it's not right.
And right now, that's all I have to say about that.
Supporters characterize the measure as pro-family, saying it will prevent abusive boyfriends and others from taking vulnerable young women across state lines to receive "secret abortions" against their will. They say that the decision to have an abortion should rest solely with the parents. Amendments that would have allowed grandparents or members of the clergy to accompany the young women were rejected.
This is the single stupidest paragraph I think I've ever read. I don't even know what to say. The fact that they use the term "secret abortions" is bad enough. Later, they throw in "abortion mills." I hate how people think it's some easy decision. You know, your *parents* could force you to have an abortion, too. Not just some "abusive boyfriend," which I'm sure happens so often anyway.
Abortion and homophobia are my hot-button issues, I guess. You know, I remember being 17. I couldn't even tell my parents I hadn't yet applied to U of M in January (I was repeatedly told, however, that I wouldn't get in -- if you know my grades/ACTs, you'd know how stupid that was, but I believed it at the time). How the hell I'd tell them I'd been either dumb, irresponsible, or possibly just unlucky enough to have gotten pregnant, I don't know. I don't personally think that I believe in abortion. I say I don't think, because what if I was suddenly pregnant at some point in my life, out of wedlock? To be honest, I don't know how I'd feel or what I'd do. I'd like to, at least, have the option. Basically, if you get pregnant randomly, all the options kind of suck in their own way.
I mean, do these dudes who represent "us" know what it's like to have a real secret abortion -- an illegal abortion? How about having to road trip to somewhere by yourself to get one because they're illegal in your state? Or how about sitting in a dirty room with some sketchy dude with a coathanger in hand? There aren't people in my generation that "get" just what that means. But it's imperative that we at least try to understand.
Abortion will not disappear if it is outlawed, the same way drug use flourishes despite being illegal and the same way Prohibition did little to curb drinking. It will just become unsafe and more traumatic than it already is. Maybe you'll go to Canada; maybe you'll head to Maine, where a kindly, ether-sniffing doctor who takes care of orphans will perform one. I don't know and I can't know. But I know that access is eroding and that it's not right.
And right now, that's all I have to say about that.
