The topic of abortion has always sparked controversy, whether it be about morals, rights, or sex. In today's news, there has been a lot of spotlight and backfire from Alabama's new anti-abortion laws.
First, I want to address that although this is a sensitive subject, I am not here to offend anyone. I want to admit that I have mixed opinions about this topic. As a woman, I support my gender and my own body. As a human, I believe that every individual should be loved and provided a good life, and for that, I am grateful that people who want to raise a child or are infertile can choose the adoption system. As a college student, I am aware of relationship struggles, the importance of finishing my education, and inevitable financial issues.
What I do know is that Alabama's anti-abortion law is a disgrace. This law forces women with no other option than to give birth. Not only that, getting an abortion can put you in jail longer than those committing crimes of rape or murder. That makes me sick to my stomach.
Every single person on Alabama's Senate who voted to pass the legislation was a Republican, caucasian male. This is a standard case of gender inequality. The fact that these men have that much power to control women's bodies is horrifying. At the very least, shouldn't women be the ones judging what happens to other women's bodies? Don't we deserve better?
I refuse to believe that these men have the right to represent an entire state. If a woman wants an abortion, she should have the right to get one. The same goes to a mother who chooses to keep her baby. It's her choice. Thankfully, I don't live in the state of Alabama. I wouldn't feel like a free citizen, I would feel like owned property.
Abortion shouldn't be about politics. The government should not have a say in a woman's medical decision. And hey, while you're still reading, let's keep religion out of it too. Once religion gets involved, it will only lead to biases and unavoidable discrimination.
Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, that is your personal opinion. No one should be allowed to take away the choice of abortion from any woman just because they simply don't like it. When the government takes away a female's decision, they are treating her like a lesser individual who can't be responsible for making her own choices.
It's so easy for a man to say, "If I were a woman, I would simply not get pregnant." As if getting pregnant was a one-person job, right?
To make the decision to end a pregnancy is hard enough, there are no easy answers.
A woman who has been raped should not be forced into raising or giving birth to that child, whereas in Alabama, she would have no other option. To have an abortion is now illegal in the state as women will be assigned jail sentences if they terminate their pregnancy.
So I would like to ask those men in Alabama's Senate, what if it was your teenage daughter? What if your baby, your precious little girl... was raped? Would you force your own daughter to carry the baby of her rapist?
I will say it again, and then I will say it some more. No human should be allowed to make such a fundamental decision on another woman's body. You don't have to like abortion, but you cannot take away another human's rights. This is America, we are supposed to be free.
And to the 25 men in Alabama's Senate, you just created a war on women.
