The pro-choice and pro-life movements love a good story. Like all political stories, narratives about pregnancy and abortion decisions are used to humanize abstract arguments, putting the reader in the shoes of someone with whom they can empathize.
I am coming to this story a little late-- it was published on December 3rd-- but it is worth a read.
Titled "Pregnant with an IUD: The Story of My Abortion," it is written by a woman who became pregnant despite having an IUD-- which is normally highly effective in preventing pregnancy. She writes a) about the shock of being pregnant unexpectedly and b) scheduling and obtaining an abortion.
The author portrays comfort at having an abortion and relief that a safe abortion option was available. The essay was published by RH Reality Check, which is a pro-choice media outlet, so the clear expectation of author and publisher was to make a pro-choice point.
One of the interesting, and perhaps rare, things about this essay, from my perspective, is that it could be used by a pro-choice person or a pro-life person to support their view. Both could read it and come away saying, "Exactly! This proves my argument!"
From the pro-choice perspective, one might derive the following: Life is complicated. Good contraceptives alone can't constitute the entire family planning toolkit. Abortion is no big deal as a medical procedure when it is available in good facilities.
From the pro-life perspective, one might learn the following lessons: All contraceptives fail, even IUDs, so sex is never consequence-free. Sex outside of a stable marital relationship can lead to pregnancies that are more likely to be unwanted, and therefore aborted. Being pro-choice comes down to desiring the entitlement to make 'selfish' choices.
Take a read. What do you think?
Links:
Article in RH Reality Check (December 3, 2012): Pregnant with an IUD: The Story of My Abortion
I am coming to this story a little late-- it was published on December 3rd-- but it is worth a read.
Titled "Pregnant with an IUD: The Story of My Abortion," it is written by a woman who became pregnant despite having an IUD-- which is normally highly effective in preventing pregnancy. She writes a) about the shock of being pregnant unexpectedly and b) scheduling and obtaining an abortion.
The author portrays comfort at having an abortion and relief that a safe abortion option was available. The essay was published by RH Reality Check, which is a pro-choice media outlet, so the clear expectation of author and publisher was to make a pro-choice point.
One of the interesting, and perhaps rare, things about this essay, from my perspective, is that it could be used by a pro-choice person or a pro-life person to support their view. Both could read it and come away saying, "Exactly! This proves my argument!"
From the pro-choice perspective, one might derive the following: Life is complicated. Good contraceptives alone can't constitute the entire family planning toolkit. Abortion is no big deal as a medical procedure when it is available in good facilities.
From the pro-life perspective, one might learn the following lessons: All contraceptives fail, even IUDs, so sex is never consequence-free. Sex outside of a stable marital relationship can lead to pregnancies that are more likely to be unwanted, and therefore aborted. Being pro-choice comes down to desiring the entitlement to make 'selfish' choices.
Take a read. What do you think?
Links:
Article in RH Reality Check (December 3, 2012): Pregnant with an IUD: The Story of My Abortion
Comments