For the past few months I have been gnashing my teeth in anger at the number of ideas being put forth across the nation to "regulate" abortion. The bills that require a woman to have an ultrasound. The bills that require a woman to take a class. The bills that require a woman to undergo counseling. The proposal that a woman be made to watch an abortion before getting one. Each time a new one has come forward, I have shaken my fist, and roared a terrible roar.
Why?
Not because I am pro-abortion.
Not even because I am pro-choice.
Because at the heart of every one of these bills is the belief that women are idiots.
The sponsors of every one of these bills says they aren't trying to stop abortion, but instead are just trying to make women more "aware" of what is happening in their wombs, and what will happen if they undergo an abortion.
Do they really think women who have found themselves with an unwanted pregnancy aren't "aware" of all that?
I would say they are painfully aware.
I would say that almost all, if not all, women seeking abortions understand the physical, mental, and emotional ramifications their actions will have. However, they are also aware of the physical, mental, and emotional ramifications if they carry the pregnancy to term. So, they make a choice.
Anyone who thinks it's an easy choice are really the ones who need to be made more "aware."
As if calling women stupid isn't bad enough, some of the backers of these bills are also calling women liars. In Idaho a lawmaker objected to exempting victims of rape from undergoing an ultrasound before an abortion because most women who claim rape as a reason for an abortion are lying.
You know, because women take rape so lightly.
Suddenly, being called a "slut" doesn't seem that horrible. It's better than a stupid, lying whore.
Did I not mention the whore implication in these bills? Oh, I didn't need to? Good. Moving on.
Abortion is legal. Even if it is outlawed, it will still happen. There will still be women who make the choice to end their pregnancies. The only difference is, then they will have to make very risky choices do to it. Choices that could, and in many cases will, kill them.
If these lawmakers really want to "protect" women they should make sure those aren't choices they have to make.
Anything else would be idiotic.