By Romy Carver
I am really sick and tired of the woman shaming I am seeing over abortion.
I have read the saddest and most heartbreaking stories shared by women who never had choices, and even stories of horrific child abuse by people who were unwanted and wish their mothers would have had the choice to abort them. Women who feel that they have to hide their trauma to avoid being judged by sanctimonious people. Lives completely ruined.
If you’ve had an abortion, I know you did what you felt was best at that time in your life. I don’t care why you did it. A crisis pregnancy is devastating.
The body of every woman is a sacred vessel and IT IS HER OWN. I don’t see any men being shamed over unwanted pregnancies. Anyone notice how women getting pregnant is never about the man’s role? It’s all about shaming the woman.
Ever hear of reproductive coercion? Google it. It’s common in domestic violence as a means of control. Sabotaged birth control, forced births, and yes, even forced abortions. In all cases, the woman treated as an object to be controlled and not a human.
It’s extremely common for domestic violence to start during pregnancy. Don’t believe me? Look it up. Things look different behind closed doors. I’ve heard many stories of women whose abortion was part of their escape from someone who was going to kill them, their unborn child, and their other children. Is it “pro-life” to make her have that baby? You know full well it isn’t.
Each of us has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that includes pregnant women. If you are celebrating the SCOTUS decision about Roe v Wade, just know that you are celebrating the assault and debasement of women and children, sexual abuse, child abuse, medical neglect, and death. All for the sake of an embryo you’ll stop caring about the moment it’s born.
Your politics is someone else’s life or death.
Unwanted pregnancy does NOT= irresponsibility, and to assume so is smug and ignorant. You don’t know someone else’s story and frankly, it’s none of your business. If it’s really that important to you, then I can assume that you are adopting children and volunteering with abused and traumatized children, right? And you’re making sure that no woman with an unwanted pregnancy is shamed and you’re showing unconditional support, right? And you’re helping single mothers with diapers and formula and childcare, right? Because, you know, pro-life.
Oh, you aren’t? Then sit the hell down.
