excuse me, MS.?
Ms. magazine is publishing an article next week that will include the names of 5,000 woman who have had abortions and are unashamed of their decision.
Ms. executive editor Katherine Spillar said more than 5,000 women have signed the petition so far — heeding its appeal to declare they are unashamed of the choice they made. The magazine itself had room for only 1,016 names, she said Tuesday, but all of them will be viewable online as Ms. encourages other women to continue adding their signatures.
No matter what side of the debate you fall on (oh, and some of us fall hard), I think that this is a bold move on the part of both the magazine and the women who sign their names to be published. Well timed, of course, as voters face some serious decisions in the next election and the political landscape protecting women's right to choose is becoming more tenable.
While this article is clearly centered around women who have had an abortion, I think that there is a misconception (deliberate or no) among pro-lifers that pro-choice means pro-abortion. I strongly support a woman's Right to Choose. I also hope that she makes that choice carefully. I am not applauding these women for having an abortion any more than I would applaud someone for not when they perhaps should have. What I am standing beside is the bravery it takes to make a very difficult decision ... then choosing to bring forward a very personal matter for public fodder in order to ensure that this issue stays in the forefront of our political and social discussions.
hcg
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Who knows what kind of weirdos are going to read that and track you down. I'm sure some crazy group is plotting now, making it their duty to off each and every person on that list.
As for opinions on abortion... I believe that a woman should have a right to choose, but I think it should only be in extreme cases like rape or if the child has serious abnormalities that the quality of life would be far too poor.
What I HATE is women who use it as a form of birth control because a pregnancy would just be inconvenient. Tough shit missy, you should have been more careful.
Don't even get me started on multiple abortions. Oh shit here I go...
What I don't get is these women who have abortion after abortion, and I mean who pays for that shit? Not them!
I think one abortion, ok whatever... if you come back for another one you get more bang for your tax payers buck and are forced to have your tubes tied too.
I don't think that having an abortion is an easy choise for most people and multiple abortions as a form of birth control is not as common as suggested.
There are two sides to being brave: one is making the tough decision (fuck you Hamlet), the other is standing by it. But while opening it to the public also takes a lot of courage, I think it's often harder to stand by it in your own heart and mind. I suspect that at least a few women on that list are going public with in to help themselves do just that.
And you're right fucking on...that's bravery. Once again I must concede that this place would be far more interesting if it were run by women. I just really hope I'm around when that happens.
http://www.blogography.com/archives/2006/01/choice.html
Who uses abortion as birth control? Newsflash: Women who have multiple abortions are not crazed, morality-free liberals living on the coasts, but poor, undereducated-by-law, ie abstinence-only, rural women who don't have the money/insurance to pay for birth control pills. Don't bother proclaiming you believe a woman's right to choose when you just mean you believe abortion is okay when YOU say it's okay.
SnogAsh: I agree. No one uses abortion as birth control if they have other options. That's anti-abortion propaganda.
Yeah, I’m pro-choice but could we please move the discussion to the choices we make before conception? I mean hell make the choice to wrap it up, pull it out, or slip it in a less risky, in this respect, orifice. And let’s not forget about donkey fucking, that’s another choice. I know of few men faced with the choice between no pussy or protected pussy opt for the former. If that’s a problem make a better choice in who you let slip it in or who you’re slippin it into. We live in the land of choices cable television, satellite radio, Baskin-Robbins 31 flavors, better yet Ben & Jerry’s 31,000, Democrat, Republican need I say more. I’m just sayin could we make this the last fucking choice.
Buddha - a little side note on your concession to “a far more interesting place” ever seen a cat fight or the feminine grudge that exist from kindergarten through college. More interesting maybe, better doubtful, different definitely.
Timmy- was issue your idea of a bad pun
Breigh – well said and write on
Snog – I think you’re right and wrong in the same instance. Quite a feat. Who uses abortion as birth control? Women in Maryland and New York? Yup. Maryland and New York are No. 1 and 2 respectively in the percentage of women having had four or more abortions. Both Blue states on the coast if I recall correctly. Can we all say D.C. and NYC? But you’re right the main factor in the abortion debate as in most debates is education or in this case under-education. And I’m sure we can all agree that the D.C and NYC public schools are bastions of higher education.
Abortion is about as boring as arguing repubs or dems. There is no right answer. No matter what side you are on, there is not middle ground.
I think abortions are terrible. I think people should be tought to keep their knees shut. However, I'm a hypacrit, when I was single all I wanted to do was get laid. I had unprotected sex on several occassisons.
We all love sex, I think anyone who has held a baby would say abortions are terrible. After a bunch of drinks and lusting after the person in the bar, all thoughts of what will happen in 40 weeks go out the window. Abortions are too easy to get. Child support is a pain to get paid. Telling your parents you don't know the name of the father, or you only met the mother 8 weeks ago is even harder to do.
We have the technology to do terrible things, we can't put the cap back on that bottle. I just hate that the act of removing life is called "a right to choose" call it what it is.
That said, I don't know that I would be brave enough to sign my name to have it published for the world to see. I'm just not that kind of brave.
In college, used protection that failed, not at all ready to have a baby.
I'm not ashamed. It was the decision that needed to be made at the time. And now, I have two beautiful boys that I have the ability to take care of.
But that's just my opinion.
Cool website, keep it up!!!
The advantage of the 'feminine' grudge is that you have to care about someone to hold a grudge against them. (While it's never good to be hated, at least it's not indifference.) If men could care about someone enough, or show that they care about someone enough, to hold such an avid and fierce grudge for such an impressive amount of time, and not simply break into the cold and heartless pugilistic penis-measuring contests they often fall into...well, I can't help but think that it would make this world different, more interesting, and yes, better.
I wish men could learn what 'passion' means, and a life-long grudge requires nothing if not a passionate hatred. Making a hard decision doesn't always require passion, but sticking to your resolve in the face of people who want to shame you for it does. It requires a passion of self. In this current time and place, I feel that there are only two places from which men can learn to be passoinate: from women and from art. Of the two, I belive that women are the better instructors, because even poets sometimes use the wrong words.
Steph, every opinion on this toppic is wrong... to someone. That's why this is such a tough topic.
I too was part of an abortion, a long time ago with someone who is no longer part of my life. She wanted to do it, I didn't try to stop her. I regret that to this day. I often think about who/what that child could have been or become. I guess I took the decision very seriously.
Ok, I'm sure you'll use the argument that condoms aren't 100% safe or could break... but what are the chances of it happening to the same woman multiple times? About as much as getting struck twice by lightning.
Just because people don't have money it's no excuse to be stupid about birth control.
Like I said, I'm all for women having the choice, but I think repeat offenders SHOULD be dealt with accordingly.
While we're talking about these poor, poor women who can't afford their free condoms, who exactly is paying for their 1, 2, 3... abortions? Yeah.
Multiple abortions DO happen. I know a woman who has had THREE abortions and she is neither uneducated NOR poor. She is, however, someone who needs a good tube tying.
I can most definately be pro choice and still believe there should be limitations. Like anything else in the world there ARE people who take advantage of the system.
Tubes tied if you have more than one abortion? (Not aimed at you, Jali, aimed at commenter Breigh) This idea of welfare queens using abortion as birth control isn't nearly as prevalent as "pro-lifers" would have you believe. Nor are women who have more than one abortion necessarily uneducated. I know as much about ways to prevent pregnancy as any non-medical-professional, and I have had three. One because a condom broke (this was in the days when the only spermicide available was nonoxyl-9, to which I am violently allergic), one because I was stupidstupidstupid, I'll admit, and one because Pills failed (I didn't miss any, I wasn't taking anti-biotics, I was just one of the .1% in the stats).
A lot of pro-lifers would believe that God would punish me for killing babies, but when I was ready, I planned my daughter. I went off Pills (now BACKED UP with condoms) on my husband's birthday, even planned the timing so that I wouldn't be hugely, uncomfortably pregnant during the heat of summer, as many of my friends were, and was as ready as a person possibly CAN be for such a huge change.
And we got the most wonderful daughter whom we can give a much better life and be much better parents than I could have if I'd had a kid 10 years earlier (I probably wouldn't have met my husband, and I'm certain that I wouldn't be)
All that went wrong so that my daughter could go so right,