As the election looms over us, I find it rather surprising that there has not been more conversation about women’s reproductive rights in light of both candidates. Of course, who you choose to vote for does not determine your stance on abortion. Your ideology surrounding reproductive rights is hopefully something that has resonated with you long before this election even began. In reading numerous articles that speak to the ideology of being pro-life, I think it’s important to have a conversation about what that ideology truly means and the implications that is has. As a disclaimer, I am pro-choice. I’ll leave it at that.

To begin, I think we need to unpack the words pro-life. As I’m sure you’re aware, pro-life supporters believe that pregnancies should not be forcefully terminated regardless of whether they were unwanted or unplanned. They embrace other alternatives, such as raising the child under the mother’s current circumstances, having a family member raise the child, or adoption. These alternatives could be embraced for personal, religious, or political reasons. Even though I do not personally align with this ideology, I think it’s important to respect those who do and would decide to proceed with a pregnancy in either of those ways.

However, I fail to see what is “pro-life” about this ideology. From my perspective, a more appropriate title would be “pro-birth” because that’s all it ensures. Not forcefully terminating a pregnancy results in the birth of a child. It doesn’t ensure that the child will grow up like other children. It doesn’t ensure that the child will have guardians that protect and love them. It doesn’t ensure that the child’s needs will be met until they can provide for themselves. So, I ask again, what is pro-life about this ideology?

Now, I by no means intend to imply that women who choose to bear children as a result of being pro-life are doomed to fail. There are numerous success stories that prove otherwise. My issue is with legislation and other outside pressures (education system, church, employers, etc.) that make women feel as if they must bear a child even when they cannot endure the pregnancy, cannot support the child, are a victim of sexual trauma, or simply don’t want children. Once these children are born into the world, these legislators and outside pressures are nowhere to be found. They are in no way ensuring the “life” portion of being pro-life. Can you see why this situation is problematic?

If you are pro-life, I trust that you have chosen to align with these values for personal reasons and I commend you for that. I would also hope that you have chosen to be pro-life because you understand the meaning of the words and are not just pro-birth. Regardless of the ideology you have chosen, make that choice for yourself. Don’t make that choice for the woman sitting next to you. Don’t make that choice for your future daughters. And don’t make that choice because someone told you it was the right thing to do. What I fail to understand is why women who are pro-life and pro-choice are always at odds. Women need to support women, regardless of how they would choose to handle pregnancy. You can be pro-life and support pro-choice women. You can be pro-choice and support pro-life women. Whether or not to have an abortion is not something we need to agree on. Respecting each other is. Let’s leave this decision out of the hands of white middle-aged congressmen and prove that we can handle it ourselves.