Discussion boards online, Facebook walls, and tweets about conflicting conservative and progressive views on women issues are rampant. However, it seems as if though political and religious ideals have taken precedence over common sense, equality, and the rights of women in this country.
Where are women´s reproductive rights?
Today, I am experiencing deep thoughts, unpleasant thoughts, about what is going on with women’s reproductive rights in the U.S. I see anti-choice and pro-choice groups entrenched in their views and shooting at each other and I see how many fanatics of political and religious ideologies fail to see deeper into the main issue of all their battles.
Reproductive rights of women should be protected and preserved. When I hear right extremists swinging political and religious rhetoric at anyone who attempts to protect the reproductive rights of women, I cringe.
I cringe, because the same old notions that women fought against for centuries resonate loud and clear in my ears. I hear that those who oppose women’s reproductive rights still believe that women are not capable enough to make intelligent decisions, just like last century many still believed that women were not smart enough to vote, for instance. I feel that, in spite of the strides women have made to advance their condition in the world and in this country, many men and women are still women’s worst enemy because they do not trust that women, if given the choice, will choose well.
I am a woman. I trust women. I trust that when women are given choices, backed up with education and the right support systems in place, they rise above and make the right choices for themselves, for their families, and for society as a whole.
Pro-choice is not akin to pro-abortion
Saying women are not allowed to choose implies that women are not smart enough to choose what’s best for them. I am not a proponent of abortion. I am not pro-abortion. I am pro-choice.
I believe that women are smart and that given the right tools women can make more educated decisions that will have a better and greater impact over their lives. Instead of censoring women’s rights, give them options. However, removing the options will not solve women’s problems but rather, aggravate them and moreover, create bigger problems for society.It has been documented that women will recur to abortion, illegally and dangerously, home-made/self-induced and under less than sanitary conditions, if they are not given the legal option to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Therefore, enacting laws that prohibit abortion only creates a bigger problem for which the whole society pays.
Both conservative and religious women have gotten abortions over time so abortions are not reserved only for the most liberal. Moreover, it has also been documented that abortion rates drop in countries where abortion is legal and accompanied by education and access to contraceptive and preventive health care, and viceversa.
We, as women, need to fight for our rights
We need to award women those rights in this country, freely and comprehensively. We are ready! But if there is opposition to abortion, why is there also an opposition for free contraceptives in this country? If women cannot abort, and they cannot have access to contraceptives free of charge, what options do they have?
I encourage all, but especially women, to fight for their rights. Pro-choice is not an invitation to abort all pregnancies of all women. Rather, pro-choice is awarding women the freedom to decide what to do with their bodies and protecting their reproductive rights. Pro-choice does not impose abortion on those who do not believe in it.
Pro-choice is leaving the choice in the hands of women, not politicians.
Additionally, allowing contraceptives free of copays is in accord with women’s reproductive and healthcare rights and would reduce unwanted pregnancies that could end up in abortion. Denying women these rights put women in a dangerous position, disadvantaged and oppressed, just as centuries ago.Read this story in Voxxi by following the link:
http://voxxi.com/2012/02/13/women-are-smart-enough-to-choose-and-take-the-pill-voxpopuli-mujer-health/
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