I believe that a woman has the right to have an abortion during the early phases of pregnancy, if she so chooses. At the same time, I personally dislike abortion outside of a few narrow circumstances, and hope that a girlfriend/wife of mine is never in the position of choosing to have an abortion. Additional information about my thoughts on this issue are below:

My General Thoughts on the Right to Abortion

I believe the right to abortion during the early phases of pregnancy is a fundamental right possessed by all women, regardless of marital status. I reach this conclusion using reasoning that is similar to the United State Supreme Court’s reasoning in the Roe v. Wade case. But the purpose of this article is not to restate longstanding jurisprudence; it is to state my views, so here goes:

Why I Support Abortion Rights:

1. I believe the Government has no right to invade the privacy of a woman’s uterus. There are few things more sacred, and more fundamentally private, than the right to have one’s internal organs not searched, seized, or controlled by the Government. This is not just my reasoning, but a central part of the Roe v. Wade reasoning. Basically, I believe that this right to privacy trumps the Government’s interest preventing abortions. Similarly, since the Government does not have the right to invade the privacy of a woman’s uterus, they cannot give this right to the woman’s spouse/parents/etc. In fact, I believe so strongly in this right to privacy, that I would be satisfied to resolve the abortion question without considering any further reasoning, but I’ll still list my other reasons below.

2. I believe that the Government should not be able to compel a woman to be an incubator for 9 months, and then to experience the life changing events of childbirth and child rearing. To be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy would be similar to involuntary servitude. It would ride roughshod over the woman’s right to self determination, and the right to do as she wishes with her body. It would open the flood gates for further infringement on everyone’s right to be secure in their own body.

3. I believe that abortion is somewhere between a social good, and a very necessary evil, but either way, something that is needed. The right to abortion has allowed women the ability to enter the workplace, if they so choose. They are free to pursue education and careers, without having to worry that an unwanted pregnancy would affect such plans. A woman can choose to be sexually active, and know that if her birth control method(s) fail, she will not be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy. A woman now need not worry that a rapist could cause her to become a mother against her wishes. Abortion also allows a woman to avoid bringing a child into the world that she does not feel she is able to support or raise properly. Indeed, many have credited abortion rights to a reduction in crime, as the unwanted children would often receive a poor upbringing, predisposing them to criminality.

4. I believe that a fetus in the early stages of pregnancy is not a “life,” and is therefore not something that the Government can protect at the expense of the woman’s wishes. I say this because a fetus in the early stages of pregnancy lacks the cognition, though processes, and even the physical characteristics of a human. It does not yet have a mind. Indeed, a dog, cat, cow, or pig has a more developed brain. Were we to declare such a fetus protectable, then I don’t see how we could continue to allow the killing of animals for food.

Basically, when I weigh the interests in the woman’s privacy, the woman’s autonomy, and the social need, against the interest in protecting a fetus, I reach the conclusion that the woman’s interest should prevail.

When I *Personally* Feel Abortion is Warranted

The above discussion of why I support abortion rights should not be confused with my personal beliefs about when abortion is the right choice. I *personally* believe abortion is proper only when reliable birth control method(s) have failed, or in the case of incest/rape. But those are my personal beliefs, and I would not dream of trying to impose them upon a woman, for the reasons listed above.

I personally feel that abortion is only warranted in those cases because of ease at which birth control can be acquired. It strikes me an negligent or reckless to not use reliable birth control methods, given the higher monetary, emotional, and medical costs which can accompany an abortion. It also strikes me as a moral wrong to be so callous with potential life, when birth control is such an easy alternative to abortions in most cases. But, I want to reiterate that my personal beliefs here do not trump the privacy and other interests of the woman, which is why I support abortion rights for all women, even if I personally feel they should have been more careful.

Conclusion

I support abortion rights for the various reasons above, with the most important reason being the woman’s right to privacy insofar as her uterus is concerned. I personally think that abortion is over used by many women, and that often they should have just used birth control to avoid the need for an abortion. However, my personal beliefs here do not trump the privacy and other interests of the woman, which is why I support abortion rights for all women, even if I personally feel they should have been more careful.

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