A Woman's Choice

Taking a break

2003-12-15T23:28:00.000-05:00

I have to take a little break from this site for a while because I'm moving this week and trust me, my apartment is not going to get packed up by itself while I sit in front of the computer. I don't think I get that many visitors anyway, so it shouldn't be that much of a hardship for anyone.

Turning on the Pressure with the Capture of Saddam

2003-12-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

This is not a post that specifically has to do with pro-choice issues, but since the capture of Saddam Hussein yesterday, I think that it may be a good time to appeal to everyone to contribute to a Democratic candidate for President. At the bottom of this post I've added links to the websites of those candidates, as well a link to the Democratic National Committee. The capture of Saddam means that President Bush's chances of being reelected may have increased significantly. And we all know that if Bush gets reelected, we'll start to see even more erosion of our reproductive rights. So please, contribute to a Democratic Candidate, so that come November we can tell Bush that we've had enough!

Democratic Presidential Candidates

Howard Dean
Dennis Kucinich
John Kerry
Wesley Clark
John Edwards
Carol Moseley Braun
Joseph Lieberman
Dick Gephardt
Al Sharpton

Democratic National Committee

The Future of Roe v. Wade

2003-12-12T14:56:00.000-05:00

A bit of an outdated article, but still relevant.

Roe v. Wade, the Next Twenty-Five Years: From Rear Guard to Avant Garde--Frances Kissling

**This article appeared in the Winter 1998 Issue of Conscience, a publication of Catholics For a Free Choice**

Pro-Choice Candidate of the Week

2003-12-12T14:48:00.000-05:00

This week's Pro-Choice Candidate of the Week again comes from EMILY'S List. Her name is Darlene Hooley and she is running for the House of Representatives in the 5th Congressional District in Oregon.

Read Darlene Hooley's Summary Profile from EMILY'S List

RU-486

2003-12-12T14:45:00.000-05:00

Radical Anti-Abortion Takes Predictable Stand on RU-486

**From NOW--December 5, 2003

(you can find this button on the NOW website)

Too Bad!

2003-12-12T14:40:00.000-05:00

NARAL Pro-Choice America has a nifty little game on their website called Too Bad! The Game of Losing Your Right to Choose. You answer questions about which states allow certain reproductive rights, and I think you'll be surprised at the answers.

The game is really educational, and it definitely shows you how few of our rights are being represented.

The Boycotters Have Their Own Homepage

2003-12-12T01:11:00.000-05:00

The Planned Parenthood Boycotters even have their own homepage now, although they seem to be too afraid of what everyone thinks of them to leave a link where you can get in touch with them. If anyone knows of a place to get in touch with them or a letter-writing campaign against this boycott, please email me or leave a comment.

Contractors Boycott Construction of Planned Parenthood in Austin, Texas

2003-12-11T15:12:00.000-05:00

This is a story I've been meaning to give some attention to. Now, not only are anti-choice activists protesting abortion, they're protesting the building of a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Austin, Texas.

Abortion Clinics Targeted Before They Are Built

All I have to say is: Oy

2003-12-10T01:08:00.000-05:00

Former Vice President Al Gore endorses Howard Dean for President

Not exactly a pro-choice thing, but important to me.

This is outrageous

2003-12-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

It's also outdated, but I thought I would give you the link to this article just in case you had any doubts as to whose choice it is to have an abortion.

The Law Is Clear: It's A Woman's Choice Alone

Dean and abortion

2003-12-08T22:18:00.000-05:00

This once again originally comes from After Abortion, but that seems to be where I get a lot of news lately.

Dean's Planned Parenthood Ties Raise Questions About Abortion

This article highlights one of the many reasons that I am a Howard Dean supporter. In his words, the day that President Bush signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 was a "dark day for American women, who are seeing their reproductive freedoms restricted by a President acting in concert with a right wing congress. As this controversy moves to the judicial system we are reminded anew of the importance of electing a pro-choice president next year."

I think I'm in love.

Walter Cronkite Speaks

2003-12-07T23:15:00.000-05:00

Taking Liberties

Walter Cronkite examines the link between religious beliefs, conservativism and civil liberties on the subjects of gay marriage and abortion.

The experiences of a late-term abortion doctor

2003-12-07T23:07:00.000-05:00

Cruel to be Kind: In the twilight of his career, a late-term abortion doctor tells all

I actually came across this article on the pro-life blog After Abortion (not to be confused with the PASS website of the same name). I have since been engaged in a debate with a few pro-lifers who all seem to be calling a late-term abortion on a 14-year old rape victim an act of violence. I won't go into my obvious disagreement with this argument, nor will I go into my disagreement with the statement that the young rape victim was "talked into" having an abortion, despite the fact that the article says no such thing.

Either way, the article is informative for all those with an open mind to the subject of late-term abortions.

Week 4

2003-12-07T00:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Week 4 of A Woman's Choice. It doesn't feel like I've been open that long. I know I don't get a lot of visitors yet, but even if I get 1 visitor every day, maybe it'll make a difference. Leave me a comment and let me know how I'm doing so far.

Abortion Law Homepage

2003-12-06T20:31:00.000-05:00

The Abortion Law Homepage is a great site that details topics on everything from Constitutional Law to Privacy to Federal Law to State Law, etc. You can also download cases and transcripts of oral arguments from certain cases.

Freedom of Choice Act of 2003

2003-12-06T20:26:00.000-05:00

From NARAL Pro-Choice America:

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)

As an important component of our Mobilization to Protect Freedom of Choice, NARAL Pro-Choice America is working to guarantee the right to choose through the Freedom of Choice Act of 2003 (FOCA).

We are launching this effort to provide a nationwide federal law that will protect a woman’s right to choose because our constitutional right to choose is in peril.

...A woman’s right to choose abortion hangs by a thread in the Supreme Court, and President Bush is poised to nominate the Justice who could eviscerate constitutional protection for reproductive rights...
...FOCA will restore the reproductive rights recognized under the broad vision expressed in 1973 in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, before legislatures and courts eroded these rights...
...Since Roe v. Wade, the right to choose abortion has been systematically eroded by anti-choice legislators in many states. In fact, 335 anti-choice measures have been enacted in the states since 1995. These measures make the right an empty one for many American women...
...Women in 17 states could face sweeping bans on abortion if the Supreme Court reverses Roe and allows states to re-criminalize abortion, menacing doctors and their patients with the threat of criminal investigation, prosecution, and even imprisonment...
...By promoting FOCA, NARAL Pro-Choice America is working to secure the right to choose for future generations by establishing a federal law that will guarantee reproductive freedom to women if George W. Bush is successful in obtaining the reversal of Roe v. Wade or further legal restrictions on our right to choose...

Click here to sign the petition.

Anti-Abortionist Convicted

2003-12-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

Anti-Abortion Extremist Convicted in Anthrax Hoax

Pro-Choice Candidate of the Week

2003-12-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

I've decided to add a new feature, which is going to be the Pro-Choice Candidate of the Week. This week's candidate is Denise Majette, who is running in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. You can find out more about Ms. Majette here.

(This candidate is a recommended candidate of EMILY'S List)

Reflections

2003-12-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

Reflections on Roe v. Wade

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Recently I received an email that inspired me to think about the Roe v. Wade decision from a younger perspective. The letter is a list of statements about young Americans. It begins:

"The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1982...
They have never owned a record player...
They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
Tianamen Square means nothing to them.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS..."

To this list I would add:

In their lifetimes abortion has always been safe and legal.
They have no living memory of "homes for wayward girls."
Very few had a friend who died from a "back-alley" abortion.
The Pill has always existed.
They may not even imagine a time when the sale of contraceptives was not legal in every state in the Union.
To them wire hangers are only for hanging clothes.

Reprinted from Planned Parenthood Federation of America: Research & Media: Articles

Gender-Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health

2003-12-05T15:40:00.000-05:00

From International Planned Parenthood Federation Western Hemisphere Region: The Link Between Gender Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Article that details that women who have been the victims of gender based violence (GBV) are often unable to negotiate the use of contraceptives, which places them at a higher risk for STDs.

Abortion in England

2003-12-05T14:14:00.000-05:00

This story is getting a lot of attention lately.

Great Op-Ed from NY Times

2003-12-03T23:54:00.000-05:00

In Frank Talk About Abortion, an Op-Ed piece published in the New York Times on November 20, 2003, the author explains the nature of the "partial-birth abortion" ban and the reasons it won't hold up. The article also deftly points out that one of the consequences of the ban has been that there is now a

widespread impression that the pro-choice movement does not regard abortion as a serious matter, and that women seeking to terminate a pregnancy require a condescending reminder from Congress to understand that the fetus they are carrying is a potential life.

The article speaks about one of the reasons that the Nebraska law at issue in Stenberg v. Carhart was struck down, namely that it provided no exception to protect a woman's health. The article goes on:

Why, then, did the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, and the other crucial proponents of the ban fail to seize Justice O'Connor's virtual invitation to add this exception? The answer, of course, is that it would have diverted public attention from the details of how the abortions are performed, to the thought of women who might be put at risk. A full debate on the floors of the House and Senate about which dangerous pregnancies should be exempted from the ban would have been welcome, but it would not have served the sponsors' purpose of fuzzying up the abortion issue by portraying pro-choice advocates as heartless extremists.

Is this an extremely leftist take on what kept a medical exception from making it into the current legislation? Obviously the answer is yes. However, it is probably also true. At the beginning of the article, the author states what is well known among both sides of the debate: that the anti-abortion movement has accepted that abortions are legal, and in their crusade to make it illegal, they are attempting to

single out the aspects that create the greatest popular discomfort, chipping away until, as a practical matter, access to legal abortions is no longer available.

The article's final statement is revealing (and yes, it is leftist, but its an op-ed, so what can you do?):

...too often obscured in the ruckus over "partial birth" is a perverse fact: It is the opponents of reproductive freedom, not pro-choice advocates, who pose an obstacle to achieving the humane goal of reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and second-trimester abortions. Through political harassment and the imposition of various restrictions, they have made it increasingly difficult for women who are young or poor, or who live in rural areas, to obtain access to abortion services in the first weeks of pregnancy, thereby needlessly delaying procedures until the fetus is further along. While the pro-choice movement has been fighting to protect women from the need to have abortions later in pregnancy, the other side has been vigorously engaged in a battle that will inevitably make them more common.

Read the full article

Health Coverage for Medically Necessary Abortions

2003-12-03T23:32:00.000-05:00

ACLU and Georgia Health Clinics Ask State to Protect Poor Women's Health by Covering Medically Necessary Abortions

Interesting Article

2003-12-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

How George Bush will ban abortion (pdf file)

Great 7-page article from Salon.com News on the Bush anti-choice agenda.

NOW on Reproductive Rights

2003-12-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday The Raving Atheist left a comment here saying that NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood have limited their use of the word "abortion" on their websites "despite the fact that it is the very procedure they are devoted to promoting." So I have taken the liberty of reprinting below the official position of the National Organization of Women on the subject of reproductive rights. Whether or not The Raving Atheist's statements about NARAL and PP are true, at least we know that NOW is not afraid of the subject.

NOW affirms that these are issues of life and death for women, not mere matters of choice. NOW supports access to safe and legal abortion, to effective birth control, to reproductive health and education. We oppose attempts to restrict these rights through legislation, regulation (like the gag rule) or Constitutional amendment.
NOW supports the right of women to have children, including appropriate pre-natal care and quality child care. We oppose government efforts to limit or discourage childbearing, such as family caps and involuntary sterilization.

Pro-Choice Supporters

2003-12-03T22:09:00.000-05:00

Speaking Out

Read stories of women who've had abortions, as well as the providers who make it a reality, among other things.

Most Anti-Choice President We've Ever Had

2003-12-03T22:05:00.000-05:00

Kate Michelman, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, has given this statement regarding Bush's signing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 (pdf file).

Good points

2003-12-03T00:59:00.000-05:00

The Raving Atheist raises a good point, although I hate to admit it. He (she possibly) says, RCRC's own use of language is extraordinarily dishonest, a point I've discussed here (http://www.ravingatheist.com/archives/god_the_abortionist.html). The major pro-choice sites are equally disingenuous. NARAL Pro-Choice America stripped the word "abortion" from its name earlier this year, and both NARAL and Planned Parenthood are careful to use that word sparingly on their pages despite the fact that it is the very procedure they are devoted to promoting. From the look of their sites, you'd think they are all about mothers and daughters and babies and child-raising.
But neither site offers ANY serious scientific or moral discussion of the abortion issue. A woman visiting those sites undecided about her decision would receive no meaningful information or guidance, other than the message is that abortion is legal, quick and safe. It isn't presented as a difficult choice, or something deserving of a second thought.
They also devote quite a lot of space to condemning abortion protestors for attempting to influence the woman's choice, the assumption being that she's carefully reviewed all the available options, alternatives and implications before making her decision. But if all she'd done was visit NARAL or PP, she'd have very little to go on.

What I want to make clear is this: I am in no way attempting to advise pregnant women. I am not trying to influence a pregnant woman's decision. Further, anyone who is pregnant and is unsure of what they should do about their pregnancy should do more than visit NARAL's or PP's website. They should go see a counselor, whether at PP, their doctor, or a free health clinic. Website's are NOT the way to make a decision about abortion. EVER. Read my story of abortion, as I am a young woman who has had one. Although I remain pro-choice, I am in no way condoning abortion as the right choice, the wrong choice, or anything else of that nature. This is only a political site dedicated to furthering the Pro-Choice movement. That's all.

The Power of Words

2003-12-01T21:02:00.000-05:00

Anti-Choice language, whether on Capitol Hill or in pulpits, stigmatizes women who have abortions and dehumanizes health care professionals who provide abortion.
-Words of Choice: Countering Anti-Choice Rhetoric, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

In this brand new report, the RCRC examines the way language influences the national debate on abortion.

Read Words of Choice: Countering Anti-Choice Rhetoric (pdf file)

Dear Abby Angers Pro-Life Movement

2003-12-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

Recently, Dear Abby advised a young girl who had just discovered she was pregnant to go to Planned Parenthood for counseling. Several of her readers have railed against her because the range of options that Planned Parenthood would present to the girl would obviously include abortion. In an extreme example of biased reporting, LifeNews.com published an article about the "scandal" on their website. The article notes that last week Dear Abby, written by Jeanne Phillips, devoted her entire column to letters written by women angered by Phillips' advice. The article alleges that Dear Abby advised the young woman to have an abortion, while Phillips argues that she simply advised the girl to obtain professional counseling from her local Planned Parenthood.

Read the article in its entirety
Dear Abby's Website

Thank you Justice Blackmun

2003-12-01T15:44:00.000-05:00

I was 21 years old when I found out that I was pregnant. Now that I am almost 23, I rarely talk about the experience, although I am still deeply affected by it. When I took a pregnancy test, it occurred to me that I had known for a few weeks that I was pregnant, I just hadn't had the courage to bring it up to my boyfriend because our relationship was at best rocky, and always had been. I was totally in love with him, and truly believed that he was totally in love with me, but he was never quite ready to admit it to me, or anyone else for that matter.

The decision was quick, and I suppose on could say, easy. But a decision to have an abortion is never easy. I was a junior in college and my boyfriend was in the military. We both knew that if we decided to continue the pregnancy we would have to get married (so I could get healthcare), I would have to drop out of school, and we, along with our child, would end up miserable within a couple of years. Neither or us were ready to be parents.

The next day I called Planned Parenthood in my area and made an appointment. I was lucky that the only day of the week that they performed abortions was the one day of the week I didn't have any classes. I would have the whole weekend to recover. Physically anyway.

Because I lived in Virginia, I had to go in a couple of days before the abortion for a counseling session. When I got there, I was amazed at all the women who were there. I spoke with some of them, but for the most part I kept my nose in my homework, trying to forget why I was really there. My counseling session went fine, and the counselor (who, it turned out, had graduated from my college the year before) did everything right. She asked me what I knew about my other options and explained to me that if I was unsure about my decision I should talk to her, or someone else, but that if I had any doubts, I shouldn't go through with it. I left her office feeling better (physically that is, since I'd been having awful morning sickness for the past few weeks) than I had in weeks.

That good feeling went away very quickly as the day of the abortion approached. I was told to eat a decent breakfast the day of the appointment and to take all medication as I usually would. So I had a bagel and orange juice, popped my Adderall, which I take for ADD, and got into my boyfriend's car. My appointment was at nine o'clock in the morning. First they took some blood to make sure I wasn't RH positive (I forget what that means, but for some reason the nurse there was really surprised that I knew what my blood type was. Doesn't everybody?) and then they gave me an anti-anxiety pill which, in combination with my Adderall, made me somewhat giddy. I wish it hadn't because during that time that I was waiting to go back in I spoke with my boyfriend, who was having second thoughts, but because of my demeanor, he didn't voice them to me until weeks later after we had broken up.

When they finally called me in it was actually a fairly quick procedure. It hurt, but not as much as I thought it would. The fetus was only about 9 weeks old so in that way, I guess I wasn't worried about its pain or anything like that. Perhaps I should have been, but I don't regret the decision at all.

I was depressed for weeks afterwards though. After my boyfriend dumped me (for another girl no less, and only 2 weeks later...he's scum) I went through a really tough time, thinking that maybe, just maybe, if I had said I wanted to keep the baby then I could have kept him too. Stupid I know, but I felt like I had lost so much by having the abortion. I know that was part of the reason he broke up with me. Prior to getting my pregnant, he had been told that he was sterile, and although I gave him the option of waiting to make a decision until after he found out if something had changed, he refused, but after the abortion when he found out that nothing had, I think being around me, the almost mother of what at that point was almost certainly the only child he could have ever had, was too much for him. Luckily he found out a few months later that the other doctors had been wrong, and he could have as many babies as he wants to when he's ready.

I don't know when it was that I made peace with my abortion, but I finally did, and my life is definitely back to normal. I still think about the abortion, but my thoughts are no longer about whether my baby was a boy or a girl, or what it would have been like to be a mom to someone who would love me unconditionally for their entire life. Now I just thank God for the Supreme Court of 1973, and for Justice Blackmun's opinion that changed history. I'm not pro-abortion, not at all, especially after having gone through it. But I'm pro-choice and I know there will be babies in my future. I'm not sure if I could take the emotional strain of another abortion, but I plan on never finding out.

New ProChoice Organization added

2003-11-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

I added a new link in the Pro Choice Organizations section. EMILY'S List is an organization that supports pro choice women candidates and offers help to them in a variety of different ways. This link is a great one to check out if you're politically inclined as I am. If you're interested in working on a campaign or running for state or local office, EMILY'S List offers campaign training and even features a job bank. Other areas of the site include Recommended Candidates, EMILY'S List Women Vote and press releases from the EMILY'S List Newsroom. EMILY'S List is a very important organization that could use some support from people like you. If you've got the cash, go ahead and donate. It's going to a very good cause.

Short Hiatus

2003-11-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

I'll be taking a short hiatus from this site. I don't know exactly how long its going to last, it could be a few days, a week or even a month. I have some personal stuff going on at the moment in terms of moving and finals and stuff, so I definitely will not be able to keep up with this at least for a little bit. However, you should go to the message boards and join those so you can chat with everyone about whatever you want. Hope everyone had a good turkey day!

Happy Thanksgiving

2003-11-25T00:18:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and let y'all know that since I'm going home to see my family between today and Monday, December 1 I probably will not be able to post. However, I will be checking my email, so if anyone new wants to join, I will still be able to add you to the list of members so that you can post. Hope everyone has a great Turkey Day!

Message Boards

2003-11-24T23:10:00.000-05:00

I've added a message board to the site. You can be either pro-choice or pro-life to register, but you must register to post. You can access the boards here. Even if you're not sure whether or not you want to join, you should check it out.

Rules

2003-11-24T17:07:00.000-05:00

Added a new rules section to your right. Check it out. They're not difficult to follow, nor are they overly extensive. Just make sure you follow them, because I reserve the right to delete comments or members who don't.

New look

2003-11-24T16:26:00.000-05:00

Well, how do you like the new look? I think it looks pretty damn good. Thanks to BlogSkins for the layout. Anyway, I think this will be easier to navigate. Let me know what you think.

Bans on Abortion Procedures

2003-11-24T14:03:00.000-05:00

Some interesting facts from a report published by NARAL.

..Deceptively named "partial birth" abortion bans, these laws are usually written to ban safe, pre-viability abortion procedures
.."Partial birth", is not a medical term, but a political term ..Most bans both pre- and post-Stenberg lack any mention of viability and thus apply throughout pregnancy.

Bold-faced type added by me for emphasis

Read Who Decides? A Reproductive Rights Issues Manual (full report 67 pages, pdf file)
Read Bans of Abortion Procedures (section of the full report, 4 pages, pdf file)
Read the Supreme Court's decision in Stenberg v. Carhart (2000) (html file)

Catholics and Choice

2003-11-24T13:50:00.000-05:00

These statistics come from The Facts Tell the Story: Catholics and Choice, a publication put out by Catholics for Choice.

..Less than one-fourth 23% of U.S. Catholics agree with the bishops' position that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances
..Only 13% of the nation's 47,200 Catholic priests belong to Priests for Life
..77% of Catholics say that it is not appropriate for religious leaders to urge people to vote for a candidate because of his or her stand on abortion
..53% of Catholics believe that you can be a good Catholic without obeying the Church hierarchy's teaching on abortion

View the full report (pdf file)

Great Pro-Choice Quote from Hillary Rodham Clinton

2003-11-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

I think this pretty much sums up how I feel about being pro-choice:
"I have met thousands and thousands of pro-choice men and women. I have never met anyone who is pro-abortion. Being pro-choice is not being pro-abortion. Being pro-choice is trusting the individual to make the right decision for herself and her family, and not entrusting that decision to anyone wearing the authority of government in any regard."

A major problem, for me, with the way that pro-lifers view pro-choicers is that they see us as being "pro-abortion," and I agree with Senator Clinton that this is just false.

Post Abortion Stress Syndrome

2003-11-24T13:33:00.000-05:00

Many people do not believe that Post Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS) exists. However, After Abortion.com has posted some FAQ's about PASS. In particular, their definition of PASS is very good, as well as their description of the arguments that pro-life/pro-choice groups have as to why they believer that it does or does not exist. The site describes that pro-life activists who want to discourage women from having abortions believe that PASS does exist and that it effects every single woman who has an abortion (I'll go into my view on that particular belief a little bit later, for now, we'll stick with the facts). Pro-choice activists, on the other hand, argue that PASS does not exist, that it is just a myth that pro-lifers make up in the quest to criminalize abortion. While the jury is still out in terms of official studies, I personally know many women (including myself) who have experienced PASS and who are still pro-choice.

As to the pro-life camp's contention that every single woman who has an abortion experiences PASS, I disagree with this. However, I do think that many women are unprepared for the emotional consequences that go along with having an abortion. Despite what many hard-line pro-lifers believe, women who have an abortion are not cold-blooded murderers, nor do they fail to understand what they are doing. If you ask any woman who has had an abortion, I don't think you could find a single one who simply didn't understand that had she chosen to continue the pregnancy the embryo would have become a fetus, and the fetus a baby. You would think that's pretty obvious, but since much of the pro-life camp implies that women don't view the embryo/fetus as a human being (which is certainly true, at least for me, in the first trimester of pregnancy), its not like we don't get that it would have turned into a baby eventually.

Learn more about PASS

On the subject of email...

2003-11-22T11:43:00.000-05:00

I just realized I should put a disclaimer up about my email policy. So here it is: Email Policy Unless specifically requested, the owner of this site reserves the right to blog about any email sent to her. If you don't want me to blog about your email, just make sure to let me know in the email itself.
On the flip side, if you want me to blog about your email, I make no promises, but I will try.
I will never reveal your name or email address to the blog. I consider your identifying information to be private, and I will keep it that way.

Only open 1 day and already getting hate mail...sort of

2003-11-22T11:39:00.000-05:00

I checked my inbox this morning to find that I had gotten an email about the site. Awesome, I thought to myself, somebody already wants to join! Well, not exactly. I won't reveal the name or email address of the person who sent this, but here is what I found in my inbox:

As the mother of an aborted baby, I find your site, SICK!! Partial birth abortion is a disgusting thing, the baby can feel that!! Why should the mother be allowed to hurt the baby? Just because someone doesn't support abortion does not mean they don't care about women. After my abortion, I've become pro-life, and PROUD! My husband is now pro-life, does that make him a bad man? I think not. He loves me, loves his mother, his children, but he no longer supports the killing of innocent chilren. Did you know a baby can survive between 20-30 weeks if born prematurely? So what gives us the right to kill that baby? Give it up for ADOPTION!! I can go on and on but I know you won't change your mind, but seeing what you said about our President really pissed me off. May God bless you, even though you believe in killing his children.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do about it, but I knew that I couldn't just let someone insult me like that. Killing God's children?? That's a pretty hefy accusation. So this is what I wrote back:

I'm also the mother of an aborted baby, as you put it, although the way I think of it is more just that I've had an abortion. And for your information, I don't actually think that partial-birth abortions are a good thing. At that point, I do agree with you, a woman should put that child up for adoption. But, the Supreme Court has given women the right to choose abortion, and I disagree with any legislation that aims to take that right away. I don't think there is anyone in this world who is "pro-abortion." I'm only pro-choice, because having found myself with an unwanted pregnancy and understanding how it felt for me, I don't want to make any assumptions about how it feels for someone else or what is right for them to do. Like I said, I don't think partial birth abortion is a good thing, and I did know that a fetus can survive at 24 weeks (according to my father, head of the ICU at a hospital in NJ). I've been trying to be as nice to you as I can, regardless of the fact that you wrote me a very nasty email. I'll be honest and tell you that I have been known to write some not so nice things to people that are anti-choice, but I guess that's just the nature of the debate. My problem with people who are anti-choice is not with their beliefs or morals or whatever. Its that they impose those beliefs and morals on people who don't share them. The great thing about this country is our freedom. This should not be a political issue. It should be a personal one. But our legislators have chosen to make it political, and it doing such, they have unleashed two groups of people diametrically opposed: one basing their argument in the Bible, and one basing their argument in the Constitution. If you can come with a good reason that is not related to God or the Bible as to why we shouldn't allow women the right to choose then I'm all ears. If not, then you're right, there isn't anything you can do to change my mind. I will always support a woman's right to choose. Lauren

Have any comments? Did I make myself clear enough? I thought I was pretty damned nice.

And now, on the subject of babies, I'm actually sitting for my best friend's 11 week old at the moment, and I have to go make sure that she hasn't woken up from her nap yet. My mom actually told me to put pillows on either side of her while she's on my bed, in case she rolls over. Nevermind that she has not rolled over yet, and that she is unlikely to do it in her sleep. Whatever, I put the pillows around her anyway.

March for Freedom of Choice

2003-11-22T00:32:00.000-05:00

Make sure you go sign up for the March for Freedom of Choice, which is taking place on April 25, 2004 in Washington, DC. The March is sponsored by NARAL, NOW, and Planned Parenthood (all links you can find under the Pro Choice Organizations category). At the NARAL site you can sign up for email alerts, and learn more about the March itself. Perhaps we can organize a meeting of everyone involved with the blog so we can March together.

A Picture to Make You Mad...

2003-11-22T00:19:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of our shithead of a President signing the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 this November. He's surrounded by grinning idiots (all men, I might point out). Why are they grinning? Because they're just thrilled that they're taking away a woman's right to choose a completely safe abortion procedure. I put this here to make you mad. Get your asses in gear! Fight against this woman-hating tyrant! Get to it!

Email Your Story

2003-11-21T21:01:00.000-05:00

If you would like your abortion story to appear on this site, please email it to me and I will post it as soon as possible. All identifying information is confidential. Please include with your story either your first name or an alias and your age. Other than that, its up to you.

Reasons for Abortion

2003-11-21T20:54:00.000-05:00

According to a study released by the The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the two most common reasons that women have abortions are "inadequate finances" and "not ready for responsibility" (21% each). Other reasons given by women include: Woman's life would be changed too much, Problems with relationship; unmarried, too young; not mature enough, fetus has possible health problem, and others. The average number of reasons given by women was 3.7.

The study is a great way to educate yourself on the statistics regarding abortion. You can download the full report in pdf format, or if you go to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, you can also download the report in MS PowerPoint format.

I highly recommend viewing the report. It has TONS of great information for pro-choicers.

Form Problems

2003-11-21T20:02:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know there's something wrong with the form. I've tried fixing it and I can't seem to get it to look normal. If you've got any suggestions, feel free to email me.

How to Join

2003-11-21T19:51:00.000-05:00

So, you got something you want to say? Tired of leaving comments? What you should do is join A Woman's Choice. It's easy, its free, and you'll get full access to the blog so you can post whatever you want, whenever you want. Just fill out the form below and I'll get back to you within a few days with the password so you can join the community and start blogging. Make sure you fill out the profile part so that I can post profiles of everyone that's registered. Write whatever you want in your profile, but try to make sure its no more than 100-200 words.

What are you waiting for? Join already!

*If you still have questions, feel free to email me*

Tools for your site or blog from NARAL

2003-11-21T19:18:00.000-05:00

Make sure you let everyone know on your website or weblog that you are pro-choice. NARAL has been encouraging people to put the images below on their sites. If you want to take them from this site, feel free to do so, but you must upload the images to your own server. If you don't have a place to upload them, try Village Photos. They offer free space for you to upload pictures.

Be sure to put these in a prominent place on your site or blog so that everyone knows that you won't stand for Bush's anti-choice agenda!

About the Site

2003-11-21T18:46:00.000-05:00

A Woman's Choice was started on November 21, 2003. This site is hosted at BlogSpot and is meant to be a blogging community for anyone who is pro-choice, for whatever reason, whatever their circumstances. Take a few minutes to check out all the features that the site has and then think about joining yourself so that you can put in your two cents on the issue.

About Me

2003-11-21T18:08:00.000-05:00

In case you're wondering who started this fabulous pro-choice site, I'll give you the lowdown on me. My name is Lauren and I'm a 22 year-old recent college graduate (although, if you're reading this before December 16th, I'm counting down the days until I graduate). I started this site because I've had an abortion and I wanted to do something good with my experience. I won't go into details on the abortion or the reasons that I decided to have it because the reason I started this that I wanted a place where people could talk about the issues, their stories (if they want to), and where fellow pro-choicers could exchange resources and talk about upcoming pro-choice events. Hopefully I can meet all the goals that I've set for this site.

Rules for Commenting

2003-11-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

Here are some general rules for commenting:
1. No personal insults. At all. Comments that include personal insults will be deleted.
2. Anyone may comment. However, I will delete comments that can in any way be construed as inappropriate. If you are unsure as to what I mean, feel free to email me if your comment has been deleted and I will give you a full explanation.
3. Please limit your comments to a reasonable length.
4. If you want to submit your (lengthy) abortion story, please email me rather than posting it as a comment.

Rules for Members

2003-11-18T16:49:00.000-05:00

Here are some general rules for members:
1. You must be pro-choice. If you join and post anything that is blatantly anti-choice, you will be removed.
2. You may blog about anything you want, but keep in mind, this is a pro-choice blog, not a personal website. Any posts that are overly personal (unless it relates to some experience you've had with abortion or pro-choice activism, etc.) will be removed.
3. Please do not personally insult a particular person. I am guilty of getting very emotional about the subject myself, but that does not give anyone the right to insult a particular person.