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Unashamedly Pro-Abortion, and Underestimating Women

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When I saw this article in my news feed, titled “I am pro-abortion, not just pro-choice: 10 reasons why we must support the procedure and choice,” I was torn between feeling disgusted and amused, because seeing the title, I had to smile and think:  “Finally, the pro-abortion side is being honest about what they really are: not ‘pro-choice’, but unashamedly for abortion. Period.”

Granted, it’s now a growing trend among the pro-abortion crowd to shy away from the term “choice” and go on the offensive with their extreme views, since they know they’re losing millennial support for their cause. For some reason, they think that tactic will work on my generation, who are all survivors of the aftermath of Roe v. Wade. Good luck with that.

So, out of curiosity, I clicked the link. And honestly, I could barely get past the first few paragraphs. Why?

From the author herself:

“I’m pro-abortion because being able to delay and limit childbearing is fundamental to female empowerment and equality. A woman who lacks the means to manage her fertility lacks the means to manage her life. Any plans, dreams, aspirations, responsibilities or commitments – no matter how important – have a great big contingency clause built: ‘until or unless I get pregnant, in which case all bets are off.'”

What? When I read this, I took it personally.  This author believes I, as a woman, cannot be equal with a man unless I can deny the powerful bodily function that creates life and makes me unique as a woman from men. I cannot be equal – nor have dreams, aspirations, responsibilities, or commitments – unless I have the capability to kill any children I bear in the womb.

Well, I just don’t buy that.  Yes, pregnancy, parenting, and motherhood is hard. But I find it offensive to believe that once a woman becomes pregnant, her life as she wants it to be ends. That’s assuming that adoption isn’t an option, and even worse, that’s assuming that women aren’t strong enough to take on motherhood and her dreams at the same time. And that’s probably the most anti-feminist attitude I can imagine.

The author then continues, “Think of any professional woman you know. She wouldn’t be in that role if she hadn’t been able to time and limit her childbearing.”

I read this, and thought of my boss, some of my previous co-workers, and many of my friends, who are professional women who nurse their children while answering emails, take their children with them when they lobby legislators, and change diapers in their office while answering the phone. Regardless of whether any of their children were planned or not, it is clear that a professional career is not antagonistic to motherhood for these women.

Why do so many so-called feminists put so much energy promoting abortion, that could instead be put into efforts to make the workplace more motherhood-friendly? It seems like such a waste of time and effort.

The article continued to make many other points that could easily be debunked, and many  rely on a constant denial of the humanity of the unborn child, but that’s the subject of another blog post . (Which, if you want to see one, or have any other questions, email me at cshields@wrtl.org.)

But what I think is most stunning about this article is how terribly it underestimates women. Instead of understanding that women can conquer their dreams and motherhood at the same time, so many “feminists” like this author believe that equality can only be achieved through the death of our children. That is a false and tragic dichotomy. Women deserve better than this attitude, and we deserve so much better than abortion.

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