Choices

This week I donated to the Yellowhammer Fund in Alabama after I heard about the bill lawmakers passed that would ban the state from performing any type of abortion. There are a few other states that are following along and passing their own bills. What it means for the future of Roe V Wade is uncertain but it does make me nervous.

While this issue does not impact me, I understand that women could take matters into their own hands by seeking out other ways to stop an unwanted pregnancy from happening. Those measures could be harmful and deadly. History has shown us that. Thinking about it, it is one of the reasons why I volunteered to be part of another fund a few years ago in Texas. Lawmakers passed bills that closed almost all of the clinics in Texas and would make it impossible for women to get help. At the time I felt that women should be able to make their own health decisions about their body. When they don't have the resources to make those decisions, what power or choices do they have? 

While the topic of incest or rape also come up when it comes to abortion, there are many other reasons why women want to stop an unwanted pregnancy. It is not a black or white situation. Sometimes it's a matter of timing, or financial pressure. Whatever the reason, I believe the decision should always come down to those getting the procedure and that there should be other measures to prevent the procedure from happening in the first place such as sex education, contraceptives, or resources that help those after they have given birth.  

On a side note, I believe that men should listen to what women are saying about this issue with an open mind.