Texas lawmakers on, Sept. 21, 2021, passed the most restrictive law on abortion in the United States, prohibiting women from undergoing abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy.
The Supreme Court refused to block this law with a vote of 5-4. With Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s recent passing, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a well-known conservative, took a seat at the Supreme Court.
Now, waiving the right to choose abortion threatens women in 13 states– all states to follow in Texas’s path.
I often hear those supporting these restrictions refer to pro-choice advocates as “pro–abortion” advocates. These terms should never be used interchangeably.
Pro-choice advocates do not advocate for abortion. We advocate for a woman to have the right to choose. It is her right to bodily autonomy, and therefore her choice whether or not to bring life into this world.
The term “pro-abortion” not only endorses abortions but defines the choice of abortion as superior to carrying a baby to term. We identify as pro-choice because every choice a woman can have should be presented to her as equally plausible and respected. One does not trump another because we recognize her choices will impact her life forever, and she must choose what aligns best with her current situation and values.
Those who do not believe a woman should not have a right to choose abortion in every situation must understand Texas will not fund her baby’s life nor her needs during pregnancy. The foster care system is unreliable, and the emotional weight of sending a baby into a system unknown is too heavy for some women to handle.
The newly pregnant young woman who can barely support her own well-being should be given the choice of abortion.
A woman who is repulsed by the idea of life growing in her flesh may not grant her unborn child an optimal life. The fearful woman who was recently raped should be given the choice to abort her rapist’s baby.
The mother who is told her life will be in grave danger if she carries her baby to term should be given the choice of abortion.
The student who cannot emotionally handle the weight of pregnancy should be given the choice of abortion.
Abortion must be presented as a choice to all pregnant women. A true pro-choice advocate never encourages one choice over another, rather supports any choice a woman makes about her own body.
