An article for your perusal

As I haven't posted in a little while, I thought I'd spread the word on an article someone linked me to on the NaNoWriMo forums.

Abortion Is Not Murder.

It's a rather good discussion on pre-birth development, personhood, moral actions and the bible. I recommend giving it a read. On the down side, the author assumes all Christians are pro-life and aggressively so, which is untrue. I'd venture to say most Christians don't behave as poorly as he implies. It's a great shame because of the quality of the rest of the article; I can only imagine its tone is such because of the over-arching theme of the website.

It's timely, because of a rather disturbing law that has recently passed the House in America. It's not going to pass the Senate and President Obama may well veto it if he has to, but it's a disturbing bill: it means a hospital or healthcare plan that receives government funding for other services can deny a pregnant woman an abortion that would save her life. It's being referred to as the "Let Women Die" bill.

I'm just asking, here - why do Republicans seem to hate women? Why are they so brutally anti-life when it comes to the life of a woman, but pro-life for her foetus or embryo? The unborn get so much protection from Republicans in government you'd think they were a Wall St corporation.

This can't possibly be a conscience issue for these healthcare providers; surely the life of a woman is important and must be preserved. And a senator says this will stop people going into OB/GYN - well, good. If you're not willing to do the job, if you're not willing to perform abortions, then you shouldn't go into OB/GYN.

And all this bullshit when there are actual problems the House should be concentrating on solving. Where are the jobs? Where is the discussion on debt, taxes? Why, for the love of god, are they not focusing more on providing contraceptives? Why this bullshit?

If you don't like abortion, don't have one. The option of abortion is a moral issue, a moral requirement, and it reflects on how women are valued in a society.

We Should Be Angry.

I criticise the United States of America, probably more often than I should. Their healthcare policies shock and appal me. Their taxation levels surprise me. Their public education system is, well, broken. (Why does it take four years to get a bachelor's degree over there? Inquiring minds want to know.) But in America, still, despite a great war upon it from the religious right, abortion is legal.

It is also legal in Turkey, Tunisia, Bangladesh, ALL of Europe except for Ireland, Germany and Poland, all the -stans except for Pakistan and Afghanistan*, Cambodia, Cuba, India and a dozen other countries besides.** It is not legal in my country.

My country is New Zealand, and it's got a lot going for it. On most issues, I can hold my head high as a New Zealander. We have some of the world's most liberal laws regarding prostitution, we are nuclear-free, we love the whales and all that. But when it comes to abortion, our laws are an international embarrassment. I am ashamed of them. And I am angry.

To get an abortion, women here have to show that the pregnancy is causing serious harm to her physical or mental health. Two specialists have to sign her off. She has to jump through hoops in order to obtain an abortion in ways that are stressful and upsetting, particularly if the pregnancy itself is distressing to her.

I am pro-choice, childfree, and a little tokophobic. I believe strongly that a woman should have ownership of her own body, and be able to choose what happens to it while she's living and after death. And I believe men should have those same rights for their own bodies (which means I'm not terribly keen on circumcision before the boy is informed and able to choose for himself whether or not he wants one). I don't want children, and never have done. I don't mind children... actually I quite like them, as they tend to be more interesting than adults with better things to say. Adults tend to talk about work, which is odd because they rarely enjoy it while they're there. Children talk about Batman, which is totally something I can get behind. I love my cousins. When I have them, I'll dote upon my nieces and nephews. I simply don't wany any children of my own.

Tokophobia, for those unaware, is a fear of childbirth or pregnancy. I say I'm "a little" tokophobic because I don't have a problem being around pregnant women, I don't suffer nightmares or anxiety attacks when thinking about pregnancy. I do, however, feel a bit anxious. Actually, I feel a bit anxious now. The thought of being pregnant myself is repulsive to me; I genuinely don't understand why other women enjoy it. (Although "enjoy" may be a bit strong, depending on woman and pregnancy.)

While I'm careful about contraception (I'd be a fool if I wasn't), it's pretty clear that my reasons for wanting a change in abortion laws in New Zealand are partly selfish. I want to ensure that, should the worst happen, I needn't fear that I'd have to carry a baby to term. I want to ensure that I - and other women throughout the country - are able to obtain abortions without needing to go through further distress. Partly selfish, I say - even were I sterile, I'd want this right for the women of New Zealand. Hell, even were I personally opposed to having an abortion, I would still want this right for other women. That right to choose. And right now, the laws we have suggest we are not capable of making that choice ourselves.

Abortions aren't nice. In a better world, one would always conceive only when one wanted to. Even when a conception is happily accepted, though, circumstances can change. Jobs are lost, partnerships are broken. Mutations happen - and no woman should be forced to carry a baby with anencephaly or cyclopia to term. (Images of such children are disturbing enough in themselves. Birthing one would be heartbreaking.) In a better world, every foetus would be wanted. Every baby loved. Every child properly raised, well-fed, well-taught, clothed, loved, supported. But - shock! - we do not live in this ideal world. And this is a sad thing. Abortions are a sad thing. But they are, unfortunately, a necessary thing. Oh! for a 100% guaranteed form of contraception.

The whole "she should just have kept her legs shut" argument is a post in and of itself, so I won't go into it here. It will be a post of vitriolic anger. Topics will include "women can be sexual beings without being whores" and "babies shouldn't be punishments".

Finally, one asks oneself - if abortion isn't legal, if one has to jump through so many hoops to obtain one, why are sterilization operations so expensive? So difficult to get? So impossible if you're young and childless? A woman with her tubes tied isn't going to need an abortion (well, one hopes); one would think cheaper, easier sterilization operations would be a better option.

Further reading: ALRANZ, for abortion law reform in New Zealand.

*There's five of them: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
** Gathered from here. Dark blue indicates "Legal on request".