Notes from a "Pro-Abortionist"

While in conversation with a co-worker regarding the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a voice questioned me from behind. It was more of a rhetorical question though, "So you're one of those?"

Curious, I turned to face the middle-aged white man invading my personal space with my reply. What, teacher? Writer? Woman?

"One of those pro-abortionists," he confirmed his own opinion. Though I should not have been surprised given the topic, the way he framed his statement caught me off guard. Futile as it was, I tried to explain that I believed in free will and choice. He already had his answers set firmly in his head and did not listen to any of my words. Realizing that my energy was wasted on this man, I returned to the previous conversation I was having before we were interrupted.

Instead of angering me (as they probably should have) his words amused me. As any person who supports pro-choice would know, there are always these conversations with these staunch anti-choice advocates whom leave no room in their minds for intelligent discussion. Those who believe so strongly against abortion-even in cases of rape, my high profile example: Sarah Palin.

This man spoke as if I run through the streets screaming for women to have abortions, as if I chant a mantra to young girls. Ridiculous as this seems to me, do the "pro-lifers" believe that someone as me is pro-abortion?

Yes, I do support a woman's right to choose what happens or does not happen to her body. Yes, I am a feminist who believes in human rights, exercising empowerment through choice. Although "feminist" and "pro-choice" are not interchangeable, I know many women that are "accused" of being a feminist and/or pro-abortion just for speaking up. (At times, perhaps, just for being a woman.)

In addition to the historical inauguration of President Obama, the holiday observing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this week also marks the anniversary of the 1973 landmark Supreme Court case, Roe verses Wade. Essentially, this outcome of this case upheld that most laws opposing abortion violated a constitutional right to privacy.

Many eyes are focused closely on Obama as he steps up to the plate, what will he do, or undo, first? In numerous blogs and online sources I find a majority of the people want to know, will Obama be a "pro-woman" or "feminist president" and exactly where/how will he stand on family planning and abortion services? The Christian Right (anti-choice) has already voiced fears about changes that Obama will make.

Any person moving into the White House during the current economic crisis and general state of affairs in the US would have difficulty cleaning up the "mess" that the Bush Administration has made of women's and reproductive rights issues. Such as the last minute Health Care regulation Initiative, the Hyde Amendment, or the Gag Rule, which is described below. As we all speculate what Obama do, I wonder what his first action will be considering the many compelling tasks he faces as the new president.

As in the past, the presidential inauguration coincides with the anniversary of Roe v Wade, thus, sparking the continuous political tug of war over the Mexico City Policy (which determines who-NGOs-and how much federal funding is granted for reproductive health service agencies). Since President Reagan initiated the Gag Rule in 1984 the consequent presidents have exercised their power by treating this policy as a game. After Reagan, Clinton amended the "Global Gag Rule" to celebrate Roe's anniversary in 1993, only to be promptly reinstated in 2001 by G. W. Bush only hours into his first day on job.

Supporters of the Obama Administration hope that the policy will once again be lifted. My uninformed co-worker never brought the issue up with me again which works for me. Though I rarely voice my political views at work, (unfortunately) I am even more careful now, because you never know who is listening over your shoulder. Now that Obama's Administration moved into the dugout, let the game begin.

Comments

[professional agitator]

Actually, LeftRight is quite correct. Do some research, around 95% of Planned Parenthood's services are in planning a family, or planning NOT to have a family. The concept/ideals at PP are to help all women be in control of their bodies and reproductive life. PP offers fairly inexpensive birth control (though it was very cheap until GW Bush stepped in to change that), other forms of contraception, counselors & nurses and basic repro health care such as exams & blood tests.

PP does offer abortion for patients but it is never suggested. Not all PP's offer abortions as an option for various reasons. Many times a young woman is afraid to tell her parents/guardians and is still in school-which means she would need support in order to complete school. Additionally, life isn't like "Juno," and the truth is that inexpensive repro health care is unavailable to persons without insurance. Forget about repro health care, what about general medical attention? I know first hand that when I didn't have insurance, I simply did not go to the doctor because I could not afford it. How are they supposed to pay for health care? The thought of being pregnant and not having a support system-regardless if the child is going to be adopted- has to be extremely frighting. ---JHH

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/01/23/breaking-obama-reverses-the-global-gag-rule/#comment-222925

[professional agitator]

“If women would just give up this issue…” I am a bit confused by this statement. Do you really believe women should not have rights, should give up the right to choose over what happens in their life? That would be an interesting way to get “more women into office.”

Yes, I do realize that Obama is not the savior. He certainly has a large mess to mop up in many areas, including reproductive rights. I absolutely know about what happens in China and Palestine and certainly do not condone it. Also, I am not pushing abortion as a means of birth control. One of the problems is that there is little money spent on sexual/reproductive education and family planning. Finally, I realize a premise of birth control that began with the movement. Yep, you are correct that abortion was “advocated” to women of color. Yet, that is an entirely different issue. More on that later.

[mee0wsers]

It is an unfortunate, yet well known fact that abortion is often advocated to young mothers-to-be, without the slightest thought off adoption. What I have not seen anyone on here address is the fact that abortion is being mis-used as a viable form of birth control. Why aren't parents and planned parenthood organizations addressing abstinance, condoms, spermicides and birth control?

[professional agitator]

Yes, actually I briefly addressed the abortion as birth control issue as well as sexual health education. Obama took a huge step today when he signed the executive order to rescind the Gag Rule. This means that now, it will be possible for non governmental agencies (NGOs) to provide reproductive health care including but not limited to; birth control/co­ntraceptiv­e, family planning services as well as counseling for a safe abortion. -JHH

This is huge, check it out:
http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/01/23/breaking-obama-reverses-the-global-gag-rule/#comment-222925

[LeftRight]

You ask why adoption is not encouraged for more young people? There are several reasons why, but here are the most important:

1) the level of prenatal care available to most young women is unacceptable! They are unable to see the doctors that they need to see, they are unable to get the basic medical care that they need, and they are unable to get the proper nutrition!

2) for all too many young women carrying a child to term is not an acceptable choice. They are either too young to reliably carry the baby to term, or their parents will not allow it, or they are scared to death of what will happen, or they will lose out on too much schoolwork, etc.... The reasons are many (about one reason per person....) but they are ALL valid!

And the final problem with your idea is that we have too many kids waiting to be adopted right now. Granted there is a shortage of white babies ready for adoption, but there are WAY too many older kids, kids with problems (many caused while in utero) children of color, etc.... Adding more to the pile will simply overwhelm the already spread too thin health and human services departments of the several states!

[LeftRight]

And one other point. You ask why Planned Parenthood isn't addressing birth control issues as well. It's actually quite simple. They are. If you've never been to Planned Parenthood (or any other family planning clinic) then you should go. You will find that even the ones that DO offer abortion offer MANY other services, such as BC pills, condoms, spermicides, and even counseling to young people who are considering having sex or an abortion. In fact, most of the counselors actively try to PREVENT the young women from aborting their babies! They simply won't make the choice for them!

[professional agitator]

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. My intentions are to provoke discussion, and I would like to reply to your comments. One of the points I intended to make was that I am not a “pro-abortionist,” and thus surround the words with quotes because they are not mine. Clearly, language is a powerful tool, which is another reason for the choice of specific word. Though I do see pro-life as anti-choice, which to me means anti-human and anti-woman. Additionally, a woman can be a feminist and pro-life at the same time.

Pro-life is a choice that a person makes and even though I do not share it, I support the free will, free-thinking and the ability to choose. Enabling a person, (a woman) to choose what happens to her body- just to make choices is empowering. I realize the ‘privilege’ I have in this country, whereas in other areas as the Far East, choice is not an issue. It is simply not an option.

[prog]

The objective of EVERY family planning organization is to reduce abortion through making education, information, birth control and reproductive health available.

The anti choice movement wants to make ALL of these things just go away.

[Repub4Obama]

There are places that are "pro-abortion". Look at China - where you can have one child and only one unless you are wealthy enough to pay the fines. Women who can't afford an abortion have to wait, give birth, and then kill their own child.

Pro-choice is a middle viewpoint. Palinistic anti-abortion rules are just as extreme as Chinese forced abortions and baby-killing.

[PaulineReage]

I agree with Repub4Obama. Maybe they should all go to China and make a "REAL" difference.

[mee0wsers]

However, in New Jersey, we have a Safehaven law where you can drop off your newborn at any hospital er, or police station without any questions. I don't believe women must kill their newborns in China, but pay a large fine instead, or put the child up for adoption. If you have two sons, that's alright, two daughters, and that's another story.

[LeftRight]

Most states have a safe haven law on the books now, though Nebraska (I think....) went a bit far with their law by not placing an upper limit on the age of the child that you drop off. They were having parents drop off their 16 year olds and one father who dropped off all five of his children who ranged in age from I think tween to 17!

[camanokat]

In ancient times, Chinese parents would often kill daughters, but they don't kill newborns of either sex anymore. They do pay fines.

[mageduley]

Obama's views as shown in this speech he gave to planned parenthood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUl99id2SvM

[freethinking moderate]

Abortion is all about controlling women. Abortion is not only biblical, it has been commanded by the god of the old testament. The modern anto-choice meovement began in the 1960s when the WASP male dominated society was being successfully challenged. Policies were enacted to hurt uppity brown people and abortion was a way to control women.

Pro-life is a misnomer on the right. Those people don't care about the sanctity and dignity of life. All they want to do is to control the lives of women and I refuse to dance the dance in any conversation with the liberty-haters because I know exactly what they are doing and what their goals are.

[mee0wsers]

Your co-worker couldn’t understand why a woman would want to have an abortion; and why should he? He can’t bare children. I think your piece was eloquently versed, yet it leaves me with mixed emotions.
I am labeled “anti-choice," however I do not think that abortion should be illegal, or that women should be limited from having one.
America was founded on the idea of freedom. While freedom is under attack daily, the attack on abortion is an infringement on my rights; even though I wouldn’t have one. Make sense? Laws to prevent abortions will not stop people from obtaining them unsafely. Still, I see the need for laws to limit how late a woman chooses to terminate; partial-birth abortion. The term itself is bone chilling.
While I view ‘the concept’ of abortion as a tragedy, I can't see how women choose not to 'celebrate' their right to provide life and/or share that with others. Is because I am childless or I have such a high regard for life that I can’t bare to kill a vile insect crawling in my house, and am vegetarian?
As a Catholic, I never cast judgment upon anyone for the crosses they bare. The act of having an abortion is never an easy one, and sometimes the psychological trauma is tolling. With that being said, while “I don't agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

[prog]

you are rare in your rational approach to the subject and your objectivity.

[camanokat]

Your view makes perfect sense to me. You are pro-choice by your own admission. I feel the same way as you do. Perhaps there may have been some circumstance in my child bearing years that could have changed my mind, but I would not choose an abortion for myself. However, I would have aborted a child with a serious disorder causing death at birth or shortly after..something like Tay-Sachs where the baby suffers for a couple of years until s/he dies a slow horrible death.

Although the women I know who have had abortions agonized over their decisons, there was far less psychological trauma for them thanthe women who gave their babies up for adoption.

I chose to become pregnant twice and have two grown daughters. I hope they never have to undergo an abortion but I am glad they have the right to choose.

[sdskelton03]

You don't like being described as pro-abortion but have no problem calling the other side (anti-choice.)

In fact, you were so proud of yourself you made sure to use it twice.

[SKKW]

To Ms. Hansen
Funny your pro choice but yet you voted for Obama and he is taking your rights away as we speak….Have you heard of the “changes” he plans to make? I am for freedom, free market place, capitailism, and the safety for my country against terrorist. Before you know it we will be just like France…that scares me more than any other issue on the table. Goverment is not the answer…you are the answer to your own life. I want choice... my doctors, what car I drive, what kind of light bulbs I use, to live in a free country….but you hold on to your pro choice issue…
If women could drop this one issue we could vote more women into office. This issue is how the political machine controls how we vote. Think about that...

[LeftRight]

Wow........ Just wow....... You think that Obama is taking away choices and rights, and that BUSH was the champion of those very rights!?!?­!?!?!?!?!?­!?!?!?!?!?

[prog]

I'm sure you would have enjoyed living in the smoking wreckage that another term of Republicans would have spawned. Too bad for you.

[Octoberluna]

"If women could drop this one issue we could vote more women into office. This issue is how the political machine controls how we vote. Think about that..." SKKW

So let me know if I read this right; if women give up all rights to decisions made about their own reproductive organs then all would be right with the world?

By all means let me hand over all free thought...not!

[zenlikejen]

NO ONE is "pro abortion" - that's just a ridiculous term used to stir emotions....it clearly did for you. Those on the pro life bandwagon *ARE* anti-choice! Don't you read?

[jpopphan]

Well, in truth the term "pro-abortion" is completely inaccurate; the term "anti-choice" is not.

Those of us who support abortion rights are not "pro-abortion". We do not want to see more abortions, nor are we campaigning for women to abort their fetuses. We are campaigning, however, to keep abortion legal and at the same time trying to make it as rare as possible.

Those who oppose abortion, however, are clearly anti-choice. They don't want women to have the option of abortion, and some go so far as to propose that victims of incest and rape should be denied abortion - as well as women whose health would suffer or fail if they were to try to carry a fetus to term. Add to that the fact that many (most?) anti-choice folks also oppose sex education and birth control, and then you have an untenable position in which women are simply left with the non-choice of suffering and in some cases dying from pregnancy.

I support the right of a woman to have legal, safe access to an abortion if she chooses to have one. I would prefer that women not use abortion as a means of birth control, but rather they use contraceptives to avoid unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. However, I would never stand in the way of a rape victim or a victim of incest having an abortion.

[prog]

Well said.

[LeftRight]

Since the other side IS calling us pro-abortion (which we are not) why WOULDN'T we call them anti-choice (which they ARE!)?????

[hopefullee]

I have to admit that I'm disappointed that the President didn't reverse the Gag Rule, when it could have been done so easily. I realize that there are other things going on, and the Obama is all about civil discourse. But the fact is that there are some things that we will never agree on, and at some point a decision has to be made. I just hope it's soon.

[zenlikejen]

C'monn....it's only Friday! How quickly we forget the mountain of cr@p the last administration left him to clean up.....give him time - he CLEARLY needs it!

[professional agitator]

Thankfully, it is official now. The Gag Rule has been rescinded, at least until the next Republican moves back onto Pennsylvania Avenue. Although many are bothered that Obama did not sign the executive order yesterday, on the tug-of-war anniversary, he did sign it late afternoon today. He is mixing things up a bit, and I am digging it. --JHH

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/01/23/breaking-obama-reverses-the-global-gag-rule/#comment-222925

[LeftRight]

I think that the Gag Rule should be permanently blocked by the Congress so that the next President cannot simply will it into existence with the stroke of a pen!

[irisda]

Have you ever noticed how the most ardent anti-abortion protesters are men? usually very religious men? For me, this is a case of trying control the one last thing about women. I don't remember the abortion issue being raised that vocally in the past. Well it did, and then things calmed down lol. As women's liberties expand, the more abortion issues come up. As always you'll find women siding with them.
I think maybe it's time to make these women understand that only they are in control of their conscience and their bodies.

[Craniumdude]

good observation but be prepared for all the FEMALE palin supporters to keep coming out of the woodwork.

[authoritarianbootlicker]

If men got pregnant abortion there wouldn't even be anything to argue about. Men wouldn't even go to a doctor. They might even make it a sport.

[Craniumdude]

Heck, they'd be advertising do-it-yourself abortion kits on ESPN!

[wiseapple]

It would be a different type of ball game...