Pro-life Feminism?
The conversation about abortion in America centralizes on the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that women have the Constitutional right to have an abortion if they so choose. Since then, women’s rights became the foundation of the pro-choice movement, and feminism its sponsor. Planned Parenthood, while criticized and condemned by pro-life advocates, is fiercely defended for its commitment to women’s reproductive health care, and abortion is declared as a crucial part. As the topic of abortion comes to the forefront yet again, those who oppose it are accused of having little to no regard for women. But in light of this, the question arises: does abortion really aid women in our fight for equal rights, or does it hinder us?
Feminists’ arguments for abortion center on the right of women to choose the end result of their unplanned pregnancies, as they often have no real control over becoming pregnant in the first place. Without this right, men would automatically have the upper hand because it is much easier for them to shirk the responsibilities of having a child. The entire idea of feminism is to put men and women on equal footing in society, and many feminists view the right to abortion as an extension of that. If men are not criticized for openly expressing their sexuality, then neither should women; and if men are free to make a choice against parenthood, women should have that freedom as well. Women have been fighting for years to gain respect in the workplace and achieve career goals, and motherhood can be yet another hindrance. Additionally, they may not be equipped or prepared at the time to have a child and want to protect themselves and their child from hardship, and giving the baby up for adoption may be too heavy an emotional load for the mother to bear. Ultimately, the choice of a woman to either end her pregnancy early or take an alternative route should be no one else’s but hers, and no one has the right to judge the morality or responsibility of that decision (and especially not a man).
However, as much as abortion seems to be a feminist cause, the pro-life feminist population is consistently growing. Pro-life feminists acknowledge that women deserve to be empowered; the ability for women to become pregnant should not give anyone cause to treat them as second-class citizens, lesser than their male counterparts (who have just as prominent a role in the reproductive process as women do). Unplanned pregnancies are heavily stigmatized, and as a result, those who have them often face criticism and a lack of support from their families and communities — morally, medically, and financially. But the early progenitors of feminism believed that a society that supported abortion did not empower women, but rather exploited them. Rather than finding solutions to the problems women face that lead to and condemn unplanned pregnancy and motherhood, our society convinces women that they can retain the rights and respect they seek by abusing the responsibility that comes with carrying a child.
Alongside the fight for women’s rights has been the fight for cultural diversity, and we now live in an America that has made great strides in praising racial and cultural differences. The struggle for civil rights was not built on assimilation, but equal respect for each other’s uniqueness. In the same way, feminism should not be a battle to make women equal with men in every way, but to make us equally valued regardless of — or even because of — our differences. Feminism should not be a battle for the right to abortion, but for the right to medical care and community support and appreciation for our distinct ability to help our country thrive, rather than being forced to live under the stereotype that we are a hindrance to society and to ourselves because we can become pregnant. Feminism should not give men an excuse to elude the consequences of their choices, but should empower them as well to take control of their lives and the lives they influence. Feminism should have the utmost respect for every human life, male or female, born or unborn, instead of supporting the right to an action that perpetuates the mindset that children are property to be disposed of as we wish (a mindset familiar to both women’s rights and civil rights advocates). Our country still has a long way to go when it comes to equality, but as women, we owe it to ourselves to make sure that the outcome of our battles is really the best one for us.
