I don't think anybody is actually 'pro-abortion.' People who are prochoice don't LIKE the fact that women get abortions, who would? But regardless of what pro-choicers personally believe themselves and regardless of whether or not they personally would/would not get an abortion, we want the option to remain legal. For me, it boils down to the fact that the opinion of someone who disagrees with abortion should not trump that of a woman actually faced with that situation, nor should those feelings/opinions be able to shape the law either.

I'm a pinko commie liberal, but I am troubled by abortion. Is it really that terrible to have to carry a baby to term and give it up for adoption? Or use birth control in the first place?

Now, I'm not in favor of banning abortion, since banning it has never been shown to reduce the actual number of abortions, only their safety. However, I do wish there was a movement dedicated to actually reducing abortions through better birth control, adoption and economic equality (so people can afford to raise their children).

I don't see why a girl who is raped at the age of 14 would have to go through the experience of carrying the baby to term. You realize that child birth can be pretty traumatic at times, right?

If you want to prevent abortions, you should support sex-ed, birth control, universal healthcare, child care subsidies, paid sick leave and maternity leave, and decent schools in low-income areas. Most people who are anti-abortion are against all of those things, because they are not so much against abortion as in favor of an impoassibly high bar of personal responsibility.

impossibly high!? Gimme a break. That's insulting to every person who's held themself to a standard.

tell me how getting the government in charge of my health care would reduce abortions? There is no correlation.

Sure there is! Someone who doesn't have health care sure as heck can't afford to have a baby. If she's struggling already adding a baby, even one that she gives up for adoption, could completely bankrupt her -- and that's if it's a normal, healthy pregnancy and she's able to go back to work immediately. If she has another child or a family to think about that makes it all that much more likely that she would choose abortion.

If you want to prevent abortions, you should support sex-ed, birth control, universal healthcare, child care subsidies, paid sick leave and maternity leave, and decent schools in low-income areas. Most people who are anti-abortion are against all of those things, because they are not so much against abortion as in favor of an impoassibly high bar of personal responsibility.

impossibly high!? Gimme a break. That's insulting to every person who's held themself to a standard.

tell me how getting the government in charge of my health care would reduce abortions? There is no correlation.

Sure there is! Someone who doesn't have health care sure as heck can't afford to have a baby. If she's struggling already adding a baby, even one that she gives up for adoption, could completely bankrupt her -- and that's if it's a normal, healthy pregnancy and she's able to go back to work immediately. If she has another child or a family to think about that makes it all that much more likely that she would choose abortion.

except planned parenthood already exists. Therefore all her reproductive needs are already being met, at the taxpayers' expense (including the free birth control she should've used). So tell me again why we need the government in control of all of health care?

Uhhhh, Planned Parenthood isn't free.

If you want to prevent abortions, you should support sex-ed, birth control, universal healthcare, child care subsidies, paid sick leave and maternity leave, and decent schools in low-income areas. Most people who are anti-abortion are against all of those things, because they are not so much against abortion as in favor of an impoassibly high bar of personal responsibility.

impossibly high!? Gimme a break. That's insulting to every person who's held themself to a standard.

tell me how getting the government in charge of my health care would reduce abortions? There is no correlation.

Sure there is! Someone who doesn't have health care sure as heck can't afford to have a baby. If she's struggling already adding a baby, even one that she gives up for adoption, could completely bankrupt her -- and that's if it's a normal, healthy pregnancy and she's able to go back to work immediately. If she has another child or a family to think about that makes it all that much more likely that she would choose abortion.

except planned parenthood already exists. Therefore all her reproductive needs are already being met, at the taxpayers' expense (including the free birth control she should've used). So tell me again why we need the government in control of all of health care?

Uhhhh, Planned Parenthood isn't free.

^^^^This! And not everyone qualifies for free or reduced medical services, but may still not have enough income to allow dr. visits and bc.

This is something I've struggles with for a while now, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm pro-choice and anti-abortion, if that makes sense.

There are a myriad of reasons that lead to abortion and for me to try to tell other people, who's situation I've never been in, what they can do with their bodies goes against everything I believe.

I'm a pinko commie liberal, but I am troubled by abortion. Is it really that terrible to have to carry a baby to term and give it up for adoption? Or use birth control in the first place?

To the first question, honestly I would answer yes. One of the major reasons why I have zero desire to have children is because pregnancy/childbirth changes your body forever. FOREVER. Even the luckiest of moms see changes in their bodies (specifically lady-parts), and that is usually the way it is, unless the woman chooses to have surgery to fix it. I think about how hard I work NOW to attain the body I want/have, and I can't imagine making it that much more difficult for myself (and carrying a child for nine months) when I know I am going to give it up afterward.

Women tell each other about the pain of childbirth pretty often, but rarely do people talk about the truly awful things that can happen in childbirth - mostly tearing of the perineum and vaginal muscles. These tears can cause some women to leak urine and other bodily fluids, or cause problems with prolapses - it doesn't happen for every woman, but it happens. Plus, I don't know about you, but the use of the word "tear" in reference to my most sensitive body parts doesn't exactly make me jump at the chance to give birth.

Morally, I would rather have an abortion than bring yet another unwanted child into the fostering/adoption system. Another reason I don't want children of my own is because I feel it is selfish to bring yet another person into a world where so many children lack stable, loving homes - just because I want one "of my own". I absolutely encourage people who want children to adopt, so I feel like bringing a child into the world just to add it to the already large number of children up for adoption is selfish and irresponsible.

You also bring up the topic of "just using birth control", and it should be noted that not all adoptions are performed because the couple did not use birth control. Birth control pills fail, condoms rip, and I don't think it's fair to ask the woman to endure the traumatic experience of pregnancy and childbirth, especially when she did what she could to prevent it.

Great topic btw!

Er, non-US resident here, so I may be wrong, but according to the US press I read (I have family and friends in the US) Planned Parenthood has just been de-funded in a lot of states, right? So that option no longer really exists for many women.

As for the question about whether or not it's terrible to be forced to carry a baby to full term, and then pursue adoption etc, in short my answer is yes. Regardless of the physical toll of pregnancy, enormous emotional bonds are typically forged between mother and child, particuarly in the latter stages, and the trauma of severing those bonds is enormous to both parties. Guilt, regret, yearning, lack of identity, low self-esteem - these are life-long emotional issues that can result.

Thanks, I meant to mention that too. PP most definitely has been de-funded in many places. The pro-lifers hate them because one of their services is abortion (at some clinics, not all.) But either they don't know or don't care that by taking money away from PP they aren't just taking it away from a potential abortion but also family planning, prenatal care, gyn services, mammograms, etc. It just furthers the notion that those people who want PP gone are pro-fetus, not pro-life. They don't really care about the life once it's born.

Is it really that terrible to have to carry a baby to term and give it up for adoption?

um. from what i've heard, pregnancy and childbirth is pretty excruciating and emotionally draining. to demand that a woman go through this knowing she won't keep the child is extremely selfish. and adoption? there is a serious unbalance of children who need to be adopted versus parents willing to adopt.

Or use birth control in the first place?

i agree with this. i think schools need to include birth control options with sexual education instead of this 'abstinence' teaching because these same people who are anti-abortion will be calling these teen moms *kitten* in the back of their minds

Now, I'm not in favor of banning abortion, since banning it has never been shown to reduce the actual number of abortions, only their safety. However, I do wish there was a movement dedicated to actually reducing abortions through better birth control, adoption and economic equality (so people can afford to raise their children).

again, with adoption, it's a hit or miss, because there's a serious disproportionate ratio of children to be adopted to willing parents. and that's why we have foster care, and children bouncing from home to home. i believe with better birth control education there can be maybe a prevention of some, but the thing about it is that no birth control is 100%, and why should someone be penalized for taking every precaution and still ending up pregnant? bottom line, no woman should be told, or judged about what she can and cannot do with her body.

Do your research, nearly all foster care children are not eligible for adoption because of the red tape to take away all parental rights. And making laws that violate the conscience rights of religious foster and adoption organizations doesn't help the system, but instead puts more burden on it.

As a woman who has had three children, childbirth is different for everyone, including the pain. OP, I am 100% PRO-LIFE. I really don't like nor appreciate the manipulation of language by those who want to hijack this issue by sugar coating what is a terribly brutal murder of a truly defenseless human being.

Everyone else, I would advise you to research photos of aborted humans and come back and state again how you support the right to do this to another human. Saying you support this is like saying you support killing your best friend or anyone else for that matter.

I agree with you completely OP! I am vehemently against abortion, however, pro-choice for pretty much the reasons you stated. I would never pass judgement on someone who was raped and chose abortion, though i would encourage them to go the adoption route, regardless of chosen route I would love and support them. HOWEVER I do have a huge problem with people using abortion as birth control. The pull and pray method is not effective and if you get pregnant while using it then freakin woman up and carry the child to term. Of course I don't have a copy of it, but I imagine a handful of you have seen the email about all the famous/influential people who were carried to term either though they were born into very unfortunate circumstances...you never know what your unborn child will grow up to become

I agree with a lot of what you said. I had a crisis pregnancy, was a result of a crisis pregnancy, and can't stress enough how it is so important to emotionally and spiritually support the mothers. No matter what they will have struggles. Post-abortive women however, don't have PP and their likes offering them hope and walking them through grieving their loss, that's where the pro-life community comes in and helps in the healing process though many seem to shy away from mentioning that hugely important fact.