What gives any man the right to control what a woman does with her body? What gives any man the right to make life-threatening decisions for a woman? What gives any man a right to decide something that they can never imagine experiencing? Absolutely nothing. Nothing gives anyone the right to decide what a woman does with her body, especially when it comes to life and death.
Apparently, not everyone agrees with this idea because, about a week ago, several men stood together and signed a document deciding the fate of millions of women and their families, all without a single female present. The Trump Administration has reinstated the global gag rule, banning any U.S. funding for international health care services that may perform abortions or support them. Whether or not I support the Trump Administration is irrelevant. This isn’t simply a political issue: it’s a personal one.
My first problem with this order has to do with its effects. Not on me, but on the less fortunate women around the world who don’t have the resources I do. This ban on funding will both increase the number of unsafe abortions as well as the number of women forced to go through labor. Without funding, international health care services won’t have the resources to perform safe abortions for women who need it, forcing them to choose less safe alternatives. This increases their risk of death by a significant amount and their lives are placed in danger. Furthermore, how can we take away the choice from these women to bear children or not? Whether or not I agree with abortion or not, I support the right to choose. Think about this: what if a young girl is raped? What if she didn’t have the choice to use a contraceptive? What if she didn’t have the choice to be violated in such a way? What if she didn’t have the choice to get pregnant? Are we really going to take away another choice from her? Is it our right to take away the choice for her to have this child? Despite whatever stance we have on the moral of abortion, it is not our choice; it is hers. No one else’s but hers. Especially not the choice of privileged males living in a completely different country and who will never be able to understand the experience.
Another problem I have with this order is the implication. By signing this order, the Trump Administration is implying that it is okay for eight American males to represent a foreign woman. They are implying that it is okay to take away a right of choice for millions of women around the world. How in the world can they ever possibly understand what a woman goes through during a pregnancy? How in the world can they ever possibly understand the difficulty of making such a choice? How in the world can they ever possibly understand the difficulty of not even having the option to make such a choice? The answer is that they can’t and will not ever be able to understand such things. What precedent is this going to set? It is setting the precedent of a country where privileged individuals can represent and make decisions for less privileged individuals without ever knowing what they go through. Honestly, I am absolutely terrified for the future of the women and young girls around the world affected by this order. I stand with you and we are all fighting for you.
