Abortion rights has been one of the most widely debated topics in human history. It is also one of the most controversial topics, especially right now with the American Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V Wade on June 24th, 2022. This decision to overturn a well-established constitutional right, while simultaneously blurring lines of the federal standards on abortion access is ethically wrong and inherently sexist. Access to a safe abortion is a human right, and there should be no debate surrounding this issue, especially in 2022.
The problem some have regarding abortion is that many people view children as punishment for women for daring to be promiscuous. This notion is incorrect and misogynistic. If children are seen as punishment for women having intercourse outside of marriage, then what is a man’s punishment? This argument that women should suffer is a direct result of society’s constant need to police and control women at any given time. Abortion is an issue concerning women’s rights, all women should have access to a safe abortion if they wish to have one. Women should have agency over their own bodies and should be able to make their own choices.
Having children is not an easy task. Not only is banning abortions tough on women, but also on the children they are forced to have. No child deserves to grow up feeling unloved or uncared for. Arguing that children could be placed in foster care or adopted is ignorant. It is important to understand that foster care is not a permanent solution. According to Youth Today, nearly one-third of children in foster care reported being abused by a foster parent, or another adult in a foster home and this study was only done in Oregon, and Washington state. Children who are placed into foster care disproportionally face abuse, homelessness and other hardships. Instead of advocating for foster care or adoption as the only solution to send children that parents are not prepared to care for, there should be other social services put in place to offer support and guidance for expecting women and mothers from low-income backgrounds. Instead, women are expected to forcibly carry a child to full term even if they are not physically, financially, or emotionally able to. No woman or child should be made to suffer.
Banning abortions won’t end them, just like banning books, drugs and alcohol won’t make people stop consuming. People will always find a way, the problem is the inevitable rise in unsafe abortions, leading to the death of many women. Legalizing abortion will ensure that women receive safe and easy abortions. A study done by Guttmacher Institute found that countries with restrictive laws on abortions “coincidentally” have higher rates of it than those that didn’t. Ultimately, people should have autonomy over their own bodies and make whatever choice they think is right for them. Women should not have their bodies and life governed by individuals who will never have to face the same societal expectations, or pressure when it comes to child-rearing amongst other things. Abortion is a matter of choice and should not be treated as an issue that affects both genders when one has to deal with the consequence. Your opinion on whether abortion should be legal or not is futile. Your own personal beliefs should not be infringing on others who do not share the same beliefs as you.