The Important Truths Behind "Pro-Choice" and "Pro-Life"
Originally, I had two separate posts outlining what it means to be pro-choice and what it means to be pro-life. However, after posting both, I realized that people were only reading the post they associated with---but that's not why I posted them. Because of that, I decided to combine the two to make it easier for you to read about both sides :-)
What Pro-Choice is All About
The term "pro-choice" represents the simple idea that every woman should be able to choose what happens to her body. Because taxpayers have not paid for a single abortion since 1976, it’s pretty obvious that the goings on in a woman’s uterus should only matter to the woman, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case. 41 years of not paying for said healthcare for women due to the passing of the Hyde Amendment, there are still millions trying to outlaw abortion.
Being pro-choice means that you know you should not be able to decide what a woman can or cannot do to her body. It baffles me that people actually, genuinely think they can decide what another woman does with her uterus. The decision to have an abortion is a decision that affects one person--the woman. Not you.
Being pro-choice means that you know there are over 420,000 children in foster care in the United States right now and that “putting the baby up for adoption,” would not lead to a good life for said baby.
Being pro-choice means that you know how expensive it is to give birth, and that many, many women can not afford it. On average, pregnancy costs around $2,000 for prenatal visits and then (according to government consensus) the birth generally costs $10,000 for a no-complications vaginal birth and $16,000 for a no-complications cesarean section. Unless they know who is adopting, the woman will be responsible for all of it.
Being pro-choice means that you know unexpected pregnancies come as a result of many different things. Whether it’s from rape or not having access to birth control, we need to focus on those things. Punish the rapist, don’t punish the woman. Offer free and accessible preventive birth control, offer a solution.
Being pro-choice means that you know not everyone has the same advantages. Not all women can take off time from school or work to deal with an unexpected pregnancy, and even if they can their education/career will suffer.
Being pro-choice means that you know how hard this decision can be and that everyone who has to make that decision is not defined by it. You can imagine yourself in a very tough situation and wonder what you would do, but until you’re in that situation you will never truly know what you would do.
Women’s rights are human rights. Pro-choice advocates aren’t trying to make all men get vasectomies that can only be reversed when the man is married and both he and his wife want a child (but hey, no sperm = no abortions). “Pro-lifers” are trying to take away women’s rights. Taxpayers do not and have not funded abortions since 1976 and are not affected in any way whatsoever by a woman’s decision to end a pregnancy. Taxpayers do, however, pay for food and shelter for rapists (scratch that, 97.5% of rapists don’t see jail time, replace rapists with marijuana possessors) and murderers. Taxpayers are paying for a $30 billion wall instead of helping the more than 500,000 homeless people (including children and veterans) and helping the 1 out of 6 Americans whom are currently going hungry. If you are against abortions, focus on the 420,000 children in foster care, not taking away a woman’s rights. Focus on the hundreds of thousands of homeless Americans, not taking away a woman’s rights. Focus on feeding the hundreds of millions of hungry Americans, not taking away a woman’s rights. Being anti-choice is not about money, it’s about people wanting to control women.
NOW, let's move onto "pro-life" and let me tell you why I don't think you are, in fact, pro-life.
An important tidbit to keep in mind: the current abortion rate is 1.46%, the lowest it’s been since before Roe v. Wade, with the rate of teenage pregnancy at about half of what it was 50 years ago
The day after Trump’s inauguration, more than 5 million men and women of different races, cultures and political affiliations joined together to participate in Women’s Marches all over the world. Days later, the “Pro-Life March” celebrated their 44th annual event in Washington D.C. where they have been protesting Roe v. Wade every year since 1973 when the Supreme Court ruled it legal for a woman to safely and legally end a pregnancy, regardless of marital status and regardless of reason. The Women’s Marches received much criticism from people who are unaware of what it is, calling the movement “pointless” and “a waste of time,” among other things. Unfortunately, the reality is at this time there is very little we can do. Other than writing letters to senators and representatives (which we sent thousands of in Nashville alone) and spreading the word of all of the issues and oppression women face in the United States, there is nothing feminists can do right now other than campaign and protest to bring awareness to those issues. People who claim to be “pro-life,” on the other hand, have a multitude of things they could actually be doing if they were truly pro-life, but the sad truth is that nearly all of these protestors are simply pro-birth/anti-abortion. These men and women claim their morals and religion tell them they cannot “murder a baby,” so they want all women to be forced to carry the fetus to term. But where are those people when the baby is born? If they were truly pro-life, instead of protesting to have a Supreme Court ruling over-turned and women’s reproductive rights slowly terminated, they would be spending that time helping mothers and children. If they were truly pro-life, there wouldn’t be over 400,000 children in foster care, a number that’s less than the amount of people the event organizers say attended the Pro-Life March. This means that if only 63.8% of attendees fostered a child, there wouldn’t be any foster children in modern day orphanages. If they were truly pro-life, they wouldn’t be voting against bills to help families who fall below the poverty line when the CBPP’s census data shows that assistance programs reduce poverty as well as reducing the number of uninsured. If you are someone you consider to be “pro-life,” go out and do something to help those who will be affected by a ruling you want to over-turn, and understand how a decision you see to be “morally correct” will negatively affect others. Do you want to help and not be hypocritical, or are you a passionate pro-choice advocate and want to help? Listed below are a few quick and easy ways to assist mothers and children in need!!
Organizations to support by financial contributions or volunteering:
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, the government’s primary aid program. 50% of the women who receive this assistance cite domestic violence as a factor for their need of the aid.
Project Safe Place. Sponsored by the YMCA, it provides immediate help and safety to young people at risk of neglect, abuse, and/or other serious family problems.
Global Fund for Women. It is an international grant-making foundation that supports the economic, political, social, and education advances of women in the United States and around the world.
After School Alliance. This organization is committed to ensuring that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs.
Futures without Violence. Previously known as “Family Violence Prevention Fund,” it operates to prevent and end violence against women and children in the United Stated and around the world.
The Mommies Network. This 501c(3) non-profit organization is devoted to assisting moms find support and friendship within their local communities.
Help a Mother Out. This is a nationally-recognized public organization with the goal of helping every mother always have enough diapers for her baby.
Bills and government assistance programs to support:
· H.R. 253: To invest funding in prevention and family services to help keep children safe and supported at home and to ensure that children in foster care are placed in the least restrictive, most family-like, appropriate settings.
· H.R. 107: To amend Title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Labor to prioritize the provision of services to homeless veterans with dependent children in carrying out homeless veterans reintegration programs + more.
· H.R. 161: To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to provide supportive services in permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families + more.
· H.R. 98: To replace references to “wives” and “husbands” in federal law with references to “spouses,” + more.
· Support bills regarding Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
· Head Start. This is a federal program that supports the school readiness of children ages birth to five from low-income households by developing their cognitive, social, and emotional advancement. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/HeadStartOffices
In most cases, those who claim to be “pro-life,” do so because of their religion. Because of that, I think it is important to include some verses from the Bible (NIV) regarding the importance of helping others.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.