Reproductive Choice

As for contracts I think they should definitely be used but only if the relationship is not longer exists between the two people. Two draw up a contact for a married couple would bring nothing but distain and bitterness due to the lack of trust. There needs to be some sort of concrete system for holding people responsible for caring for their child. I said in my last post that the father can choose to leave the relationship if he does not wish to have the child. This does not mean that I condone this behavior and this does not mean that he should be relieved from supporting the child. After all, the mother could not obviously get pregnant on her own. In a perfect world any time there was an unplanned child birth both parents would love the child just the same. Since this is not the case we should not subject the child to an environment that is hostile but there needs to be something concrete to make sure support is given for the child and mother. And yes we should enforce this by all and any means (i.e. jail time, fines, property seizure and sterilization).

The debates about abortion have been and will continue to go on and on. As long as there is unwanted pregnancy there will be women who wish to have abortions. I agree with what you say in that abortion is a topic that will never be able to be discussed nicely amongst those for and against it. With abortion there are so many gray areas in general, I believe. Questions like, "Who's the father?", How did this happen if we used protection?", along with issues of father rights, religious rights, and financial rights, and also rape can make this topic so gray and so scary in a way because there are so many different aspects that make it difficult.

When a discussion amongst friends would begin about abortion I would always say that if I got pregnant I don't think I could have an abortion. I am fully behind the pro-choice side, yet being able to understand the stress and pain of abortion is so over my head and all of our heads unless we have experienced it firsthand. Honestly, if I were to get pregnant now, I don't know what I would do. I cannot fully understand what women who are going through the decision of abortion are feeling. All I know is that it is a serious reality that many women have to deal with just by having the ability to reproduce, and that no matter what it shouldn't be taken lightly.

I agree, I don't think that abortion or reproductive laws can be taken lightly. It is a very serious conversation that I dont think many of the people that delve into it are ready to have. And how can you truly pick a side if you've never really had to choose what you would do. We can all say one thing or another, but until we're put in that situation we really dont know. And this makes me wonder why the heck are a lot of men making these decisions? Decisions about women, their bodies, and what they plan to do with them. Nothing against men, but if you've never had a baby inside you or never even had the posibility, then how can you choose what is best for me to do? I think that there is definitely the ability to be pro-choice, but for yourself have different ideas. being pro-choice as we read does not mean being pro-abortion. It is simply a freedom of choice for women to do what they feel is right. I do believe that pro-choice organizations or abortion clinics do need to offer post-op counseling services. Not something that is same day centered, but months or years down the road that the woman can come back to and talk about. So many people focus on the process, but I have seen too many friends experience it to realize that sometimes it doesn't "hit" them until months down the line.

I have to through out one point in favor of pro-life. The ProLife Alliance in the UK's tagline is "equality of all, absolute respect for innocent human life". The one word in there that really stuck out in my mind was equality. Isn't that what feminists are fighting for? It seems that Catholics, in their fight for pro-life are fighting for the same thing. Many argue that the child is left out of the decision and it is their life being forfeited. If you don't believe that it is actually a child that is being killed take a look at "What does abortion look like" images on the right hand screen of the ProLife Alliance website. This then brings up the question of when the "seed" if you will becomes a human life - a whole other discussion.

I think many people have the misconception that the Catholic Church does not care about the woman's life in cases where the woman would be in danger if she did go through with the pregnancy. I have been told, growing up Catholic that it is for the woman to leave her life in God's hands to take care of her and her child. Ultimately, Catholics do not believe that it is the woman's right to choose because it is supposed to be God's will. Now, I'm not saying my personal viewpoints on the situation, but it does show that the church is not blind to the woman's health.

Being a pro-choice person myself I feel that women should be free to choose whatever route they want with contraception. I do feel that it is our responsibility as a society to have better sex education so that we have women using effect birth control measures rather than relying on abortion as a form of birth control. Obviously that is there choice but we need to educate young men and women because if women are relying on abortion for birth control they are obviously not having safe sex and that is our responsibility as a society; to educate young people so that they can have healthy lives without the harm of STDs.

Abortion is a topic that we have to look at from both ponits of view. You bring up an excellent point concerning abortion and ones religous faith. You cannot connect the two to a certain extent because they are both independent of eachother. Abortion is something that it here to stay, something that will be available to women accross the globe. Why is this? Why, accorinding to WVFV pg. 255 are almost 50 percent of women by the age of 45 having abortions? Is this due to a society that is obsessed with sex? Could it be because of our individual choices, or both? Bell hooks brings up an excellent quote saying "As we seek to rekindle the flames of mass-based feminist movement reproductive rights will remain a centrail feminist agenda. If women do not have the right to choose what happens to our bodies we risk relinquishing rights in all other areas of our lives"(pg.29). What do you think about this? Is this true or not? Is the right to have an abortion so important that if women do not have control of this it could spill onto their decisions in their everday lives? Having an abortion should be the womens choice in my opinion. Depending on the timing, location, and specifications involved, having one could be the correct decision.

This topic as a debate will never be solved pr figured out. Topics such as this are of such a grand scale and important nature that no one answer can be given to blanket all opinions. This is of course why it is always chosen as a debate topic. The fact is those for it and those against do so out of personal convictions that generally answer to a higher cause than someone elses influential opinion. It is because of this nature that one will almost never switch stance on the issue. As for those in the shade of gray, I feel that on issues like this you can't be for it sometimes, against it others. I feel that one must have an answer to such a topic, whether for or against, because if one is divided on the subject their arguements and the validity of those arguements are not as credible.

Throughout highschool and now in college I have been asked to debate this issue countless times. I have written papers, debated, and have done all the research. I am pro-choice. I think every woman should decide for herself. However, I am so sick of debating this subject. It pisses me off, to put it bluntly! There are certain things women have to go through that are personal. No man will ever feel what women feel. Since no one can seem to come to an agreement on this decision, everyone should just shutup and mind their own business about it! Deal with your own life. It makes me sick that anyone would try to take away this right from women when it is so personal and there are so many circumstances under which abortion would be neccessary.

Being a curious creature, I did a bit of surfing on the NARAL website and found an article What Happens When There is No Plan B.

Most of us, me included, think of abortion as being a topic that impacts only teenagers, those raped, or perhaps critically ill.

I recommend you read this article ... it is written by a 42 year old happily married mother of two who got pregnant by not using birth control. She couldn't get the "Plan B" pill from her doctor. Due to her age and lifestyle, she and her husband decided to abort the child.

Let's not pass judgement about whether or not she should have had an abortion. She was married, had health care, but still she chose to do so. It was her right.

Reading the article that was published in the Washington Times on June 4, you'll see that she ended up going to the Planned Parenthood Abortion Center. If the Bust Girls Guide story didn't get you, this one might.

Our belief, be it yours or mine, that each life is sacred doesn't remove the right of a woman to choose to have an abortion. Check out this article and see if it doesn't strike a nerve with you ...

This is the topic in which I believe there are more opinions then any other topic. I believe all these opinions do effect the women in the world who are having abortions. This could make them feel ashamed or embarassed for doing something they feel is right. I believe these women who got pregnant would only have an abortion if they knew they were not ready, willing or able to give the baby the life it deserved. I think that it all boils down to the women, and if she feels that she can care for that baby. If she doesnt think having the baby is the right thing to do then abortion is the option they might choose.

It is not fair to debate abortion or someone else's right to a legal and safe abortion based on ones personal belief. Abortion is a serious topic which will always be debateable. As for it being possible to be a femenist and a Catholic, I believe so. Actually, I don't know if I would be able to go thru with an abortion myself (maybe because I have never been put in such a situation). However, I do understand reasons behind why another person would. What about in circumstances when the person was raped? Shouldnt abortion be legal then? Would you wanna bare a child that was forced upon you? Can we afford for abortion to be illegal? No! Women should have every right to make the decision of having an abortion legally because if having an abortion is what they really want then having an abortion is what they will get whether it be legal or not. Women who are in a situation in which they have to make such a choice must be very confused. So much confusion must be brought upon by the media and all the pro-life advocates. Having an abortion should be more of a personal action. One should have it if they are certain that this is what they want/need for their benefit and the benefits of that child. Our feelings on abortion are most definitely biased. I think terminating the life of a child is a terrible thing but at the same time I understand where someone would have to do that for the better. Abortion will not be taken light and it is a topic that will continue to cause a debate between advocates of pro choice and pro life.

You asked whether a woman can be a feminist as well as a Catholic. In my own case, the answer is yes.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to accept all of the doctrines of one's faith. I am a practicing Catholic, yet I have strong differences of opinion with the Church regarding birth control and abortion. For me, I am pro-choice as well as pro-life, which is a strange place to be.

I fully believe that every woman has the right to have an abortion if she so desires. How can I place judgment on whether a woman should have an abortion -- we don't know what someone is experiencing until we have experienced it ourselves.

The Church, on the other hand, believes that all life is sacred and is to be preserved. Can I see their point of view? Yes. Do I need to agree with it? For me, no, I can't.

I think that it is possible to support a woman's right to choose whether or not abortion is right for her, while not wanting one for yourself. Personnally, I would never like to be in the situation where I would need an abortion, and even if I were faced with that decision, I don't believe an abortion is what I would choose to do. But I would like to have the choice. And I think that it is important for women to be able to choose for themselves. However, I also think that it is going to be a long time before the general public views the issue in this way, and if we keep up our current actions, by illegalizing abortions, it may never happen. But I think that abortion falls more solidly under the heading of birth control, and if we want to lower the rates of abortions, then our country needs to up the availiblity of safe and affordable birth control methods, as well as provide better sex education classes.