Human rights should not be up for debate!

Abortion, or the termination of a pregnancy, is healthcare and a woman’s right. As no one can truly understand someone else’s situation, it is not their place to make decisions for that person. Life is a delicate thing; to bring another life into this world by force or coercion is wrong. Abortion should not be up for debate, difficult to obtain, or prohibited. To deny a woman this right or to try to regulate it with further laws is unconstitutional and unjust. 

January of 1973, women across America rejoiced as the Supreme Court made their decision on the historic Roe v Wade case. The case was filed against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas, Texas, by Norma McCorvey under the alias of Jane Roe after he attempted to ban abortion except in life-threatening conditions (“Roe v Wade”). When McCorvey filed the lawsuit, she “alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments” (“Roe v Wade”). Three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe (“Roe v Wade”). A new clause was then added under the 14th Amendment which made it illegal for states to regulate abortions throughout the first trimester, but allowed states to make their own decisions on abortions done later on in the pregnancy as long as they had the health of the woman in mind (“Roe V Wade”). Although this case was decided nearly 50 years ago by the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists are fighting to appeal it.
Three years ago, a bill was proposed in Ohio that, if signed, would “[consider an abortion of an “unborn human”] a person under state criminal homicide statutes (The Editorial Board). Furthermore, if a fetus is now viewed as an “unborn human,” the woman who aborted the fetus could be charged with murder. The scary thing about this is that murder is punishable by life in prison or even death in in Ohio (The Editorial Board). According to Brigitte Amiri, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, “the Ohio bill is ‘blatantly unconstitutional’” (The Board Editorial). On the other hand, a fetus could not be considered a living thing to begin with because they do not follow all seven characteristics of life.
To be recognized as a living thing, you must respond to your environment, grow and change, be capable of reproduction, have complex chemistry, maintain homeostasis, be composed of cells, and be able to pass your traits onto potential offspring (Wilkin and Gray-Wilson). Yet, a fetus does not have all of these characteristics. It is not until ten weeks into the pregnancy that a male fetus has fully developed sex organs, and it is not until twenty for a female fetus to have hers - complete with six to seven million eggs (Krock). Besides, the fetus’ brain is not fully developed until thirty-three weeks, and its lungs are not fully developed until thirty-six (Aodha). That is not to say that premature babies do not survive, though; the majority of them do.
In the grand scheme of things, actually, a fetus can even go so far as to be labelled as a parasite. Think about it; it leeches off her body by diverting her blood and nutrients, avoids rejection, and influences her metabolism for its own benefit (Lowry). The placenta even has a covering around it composed of molecules called phosphocholine which disguise the placenta, thus making it invisible to the host (Lowry). Using this logic, the fetus can be viewed and classified as a parasite - especially in cases when the mother does not want to have the child or if the woman suffers from tokophobia; the pathological, morbid fear of pregnancy.
It is wrong to prevent women from obtaining abortions in situations where they are forcibly impregnated by birth coercion or by rape, as well. In 2019, an eleven year old was raped multiple times by a 26 year old, leaving her pregnant and unable to obtain an abortion because of a new heartbeat bill (Smith). This bill did not give any exceptions to anyone, regardless of if they were raped or carrying a product of incest. Even if they did give exceptions in these cases, that would mean a woman must be violated before she can have the rights over her own body.
In a news article, it is stated that over 4,000 women were raped in Ohio throughout 2017 according to the FBI (Smith). By passing this new law, women can not abort a fetus after the six week mark because the fetus has a heartbeat. The bill in question is unconstitutional as it goes against Roe v Wade, which prevents states from restricting abortion before the second trimester.
The previously mentioned eleven year old girl ended up being forced to carry the pregnancy to term, and was victim-blamed by a pregnancy care worker who said that she was, quote, “rebellious [and] refuses to listen to her mother and runs away from home all the time” (Smith). This is, of course, not a justifiable excuse as to why she was raped. There is never an excuse for rape. Her only justice was the arrest of Juan Leon-Gomez, the man who raped her. Ohio is not the only state to pass the heartbeat bill, however. Five other states had already decided to do the same, including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia (Campoy and Merelli). Hundreds of thousands of women are now trapped by the law, unable to abort regardless of the circumstances. The government was looking for a reform, but this is not the kind of reform women were looking for. Having access to family planning saves more lives than it takes.
In Argentina, two young girls at the ages of eleven and twelve were raped by men in their 60s (Zorn). Both of these girls were forced to carry their pregnancies to term, and both received c-sections around six months into the pregnancy (Zorn). Neither of the babies survived. Eric Zorn, the author of the article about this tragedy, further elaborates on the situation:
The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym “Lucia,” was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmother’s boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her family’s request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus’ lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork (Zorn).
The basis of this is undoubtedly disgusting. Stripping young girls and women of their rights to bodily autonomy results in them having less rights than a corpse. Anti-abortionists have even gone so far as to spread false information about contraceptives, claiming that Plan B-type pills are an abortive (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). This is completely false, as abortive pills can induce an abortion within the first nine weeks, while Plan B-type pills can be used only within 72 hours of unprotected sex (The Difference). Once again, contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel or progestin simply prevent ovulation, thus preventing an egg from ever being fertilized. Abortive pills medically induce an abortion after conception.
An article from Gale describes abortive pills as an alternative to surgical abortion, which is a series of two pills. One contains mifepristone, and the other contains misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks an essential hormone for pregnancy, called progesterone (“Abortion”). Two days later, the second pill is taken to contract the uterus and expel the embryo (“Abortion”). If a woman happens to change her mind before taking the misoprostol pill, it is not possible. According to a study done by the University of California in 2019, attempting to counter the effects of mifepristone with progesterone could lead to severe vaginal bleeding (“Abortion’). In conclusion, medically induced abortion is not to be confused with emergency contraception, as a medically induced abortion is effective for nine weeks, whereas emergency contraception only works up to three days after unprotected sex.
Many anti-abortionists are blinded by the existence of life. They see the removal of an embryo as a sin, proposing the rhetorical question as to why assisted suicide is illegal but abortion is not. They frenziedly ask, “what if that baby could have found the cure for cancer?” or “what if that baby could have been the next Mother Theresa?” Never do they ask themselves where the woman would be if she had not been forced to bring a child into this world. That woman could have cured cancer, too, but she lost the chance when she had to give up her life to take care of an unwanted child. To bring religion into the mix throws off the balance of what is constitutional and what is not.
We, as a country, were founded on the basis of freedom of religion; we came here to escape religious persecution. Laws and restrictions based on religious beliefs are unconstitutional and morally wrong, as one should never enforce their beliefs on others by taking legal action. Influencing someone’s opinion, however, is morally wrong the second false information is brought into the discussion. Anti-abortionists seem to throw all logical reasoning out the window by ignoring scientifical facts and jumping straight to labelling women who obtain abortions as “murderers.” They are not “pro-life,” as they call themselves. They are anti-women.
In an article previously mentioned, written by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, it is claimed that the Supreme Court ruling of abortions within the first trimester is false. They claimed that “the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade did not create a limited right to abortion but a virtually unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy” (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). Throughout their article, they commonly use quotation marks around terms to twist the mood of the sentence to their liking. When they acknowledge that the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in all factors, including emotional, they later highlight that by painting it in a negative light.
Abortion is an emotional subject, which even more so strengthens the argument as to why abortion is only the woman involved’s decision. Teenage pregnancy is also a huge part of the abortion argument. Accidents can happen, contraceptive methods could fail, or the pregnancy could be caused from rape. Teenage girls need easier access to abortion, without the requirement to notify their parents. The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy says that, quote, “minors have a right to privacy” (The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy). This implies the right to a discretionary abortion.
Parental involvement in teenage abortions and pregnacy is humilating and potentially harmful, as not everyone’s parents are accepting and understanding. To vouch for mandatory parental consent is detrimental to the safety of the girl. An article written by Francie Diep acknowledges the experiences of a few girls, one of them belonging to a girl named Sandra, saying that she “feared her father would kick her out, or worse [if he found out she was pregnant]” (Diep). Another girl, Vanessa, feared humiliation due to her parents’ religious beliefs (Diep). The third girl, Jacqueline, feared her father would disown her if he found out (Diep).
Teenagers who face a judge in the process of trying to get an abortion feel that the judges disregard their plea and focus more on their parents. Diep emphasizes this with Jacqueline’s story, restating how Jacqueline felt overlooked when she stood before a judge to prove that she was mature enough to have an abortion (Diep). Imagine being a teenager and having to stand before a judge to prove you are mature enough to abort. If you are not found mature enough in their eyes to have an abortion, you will be forced to haven a child. In other words, you would be mature enough to raise an entire, living person, but you would not be mature enough to live your life the way you want.
Girls are not being taken seriously by courts despite how hard they try to make themselves understood. If they are mature enough to hold down a “prestigious internship” like Jacqueline, then they are mature enough to make their own decisions (Diep). Withholding the right for a young woman to get an abortion because her parents refuse to consent for one is an incredibly damaging, backwards way of thinking.
The opposite side of the argument, however, believes otherwise for fear of the girls’ safety. Statistically, many young women in California are lured into sexual relationships with pedophiles, whether they want to admit it or not (Jasper). The worst part is these men usually escape criminal charges of statutory rape. Many of them can easily take their girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion without consent from the girl’s parents (Jasper). This is because Planned Parenthood is not legally required to contact authorities or the minor’s parents if a minor schedules an appointment for an abortion since all patient information is confidential (Jasper). Thus, any evidence of their criminal act can be swept under the rug and they can get away with it.
Furthermore, most states require parental consent for a teenager to get a tattoo or a piercing, and both schools and hospitals require permission to give a minor aspirin (Jasper). People with this mindset believe that without parental consent, the young woman could be subject to danger or even trauma. They seem to be missing the point, though. Tattoos and piercings are not life-changing, but the birth of an unwanted child is; pregnancy permanently changes a woman’s body. Pregnancy can result in larger feet, melasma, abdominal separation, loss of bladder control, and even tooth loss (“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body”). With this in mind, it should not be the parents’ decision to let their daughter abort, even if they plan on putting the child up for adoption after its birth. Putting your daughter in harm’s way by forcing her through an unwanted pregnancy is not a way to keep your daughter safe.
While the young woman could be subject to danger or trauma by an abortion, she could very well be subject to both of those things without an abortion. Pregnancy can be extremely traumatic for some women, and it is nearly unimaginable how traumatic it must be to force a teenage girl to carry her pregnancy to term. In countries such as Africa and India, many girls find themselves subject to child marriages. According to an article from Girls Not Brides, over seven million girls under the age of 18 - including two million girls under the age of 14 - give birth in third-world countries (“Raising the Alarm”). The article further explains that about 90% of these births happen within marriage (“Raising the Alarm”). They have no say in their marriages and pregnancies, and they have little to no access to education (“Raising the Alarm”). These girls are left to helplessly take care of their children regardless of how they feel about the situation. One girl affected by this, Kamal, said that when no one was home she would read her old textbooks and cry (“Raising the Alarm”). Another girl, Kanas, said that she cannot even remember when was married off to her husband because she was so young at the time (“Raising the Alarm”).
While these cases mostly happen outside of the U.S., our country is no stranger to the darker sides of childbirth. In fact, our country is one of the few that actually has a rising mortality rate of women during childbirth. Dr. Donna L. Hoyert states on CDC’s website that “in 2019, 754 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 658 in 2018” (Hoyert). That, she further explains, means that there are about 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert). With mortality rates rising rather than falling, it would be ignorant to say that childbirth does not pose that large of a threat. Excusing the threat of dying on the hospital bed, women nearly always rip open during childbirth. An article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explicitly says that about “[nine out of ten] first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy (“Perineal Tears During Childbirth). That could mean ripping open from your vagina to your anus, from your vagina to your clitorus, or even from your vagina to your thigh. Doctor Yvonne Butler Tobah says in an article from the Mayo Clinic that while there are several things a woman could do to lower the chances of vaginal tearing, there is actually no guarantee that they could prevent it (Tobah). Wounds heal and pain fades, but memories always remain.
There is also the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth or postpartum. As mentioned on the March of Dimes website, “women usually lose about half a quart of blood during vaginal birth or about one quart after a cesarean birth” (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). A woman could also experience uterine atony, inversion, or rupture (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). There are a million other things that could possibly go wrong besides hemorrhaging; women could contract sepsis, ICP, or DIC (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). In other words, childbirth may be natural, but that does not mean that it is particularly safe.
Sex education is extremely important and should be taught to all children in an age-appropriate manner before they reach puberty. Improper sex education is the cause of most teenage pregnancy, and can result in misinformation regarding the use of contraceptives. To prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion, sex education must be properly taught so kids understand the cause of their actions. However, it should be completely up to the girl on whether or not she wishes to abort if an accident happens because she will always be her own first priority.
Unfortunately, SCOTUS is looking to either overturn or completely scrap Roe v Wade by 2022. Ridding women of the right to choose will put many lives in danger, and will cause more harm than good. Overturning Roe v Wade would be unconstitutional because it would blatantly counteract the Due Process Clause 14th Amendment, which requires that individuals be treated fairly under the law (“Due Process Clause). If women are no longer given the rights over their own body, all of our rights are in jeopardy because the Due Process Clause would be rendered useless. This is the reality we face if abortion is made illegal.

Abortion should not be up for debate or challenged by politicians and lawmakers because it involves no one but the women affected. No one should have the right to restrict access to abortion, or the right to prohibit obtaining it. Women should have the right to choose regardless of the circumstances, which means their rights should not be limited to certain aspects such as rape or incest. Further, women are not walking wombs or living incubators for the unborn. We are human. It is unconstitutional and morally corrupt to put your personal beliefs before someone else’s own life, even if you think it means that another life may be lost. Life is a fragile thing, but the loss of one may save another. That is why abortion should not be debated or argued against. 

Works Cited
"Abortion." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999336/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=163555a9 .
“Abortion is Healthcare.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/abortion-is-healthcare
Aodha, Gráinne Ní. “Pregnancy Timeline: When Does the Heart, Brain, and Face Form?” TheJournal.ie, 8 May 2018, https://www.thejournal.ie/pregnancy-timeline-3979399-May2018/#:~:text=From%20week%2033%20the%20baby,ready%20for%20breathing%20after%20birth.
Campoy, Ana, and Annalisa Merelli. “These Are All the States That Have Adopted Anti-Abortion Laws so Far in 2019.” Quartz, Quartz, 30 May 2019, qz.com/1627412/these-are-all-the-states-with-anti-abortion-laws-signed-in-2019/.
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. "Teenagers Seeking Contraception Should Not Be Required to Notify Their Parents." Teens at Risk, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010167251/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=7d2df3df.
Diep, Francie. "Parental Involvement Laws Can Impose Harmful Burdens on Pregnant Minors." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.c om/apps/doc/PRQDJD938454735/OVIC?u=aubu72351 &sid= O VIC&xid=9ce75191.
“The Difference Between the Morning-After Pill and the Abortion Pill.” Planned Parenthood, Apr. 2016, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3914/6012/8466/Difference_Between_the_Morning-A fter_Pill_and_the_Abortion_Pill.pdf.
“Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause and Disenfranchising Felons.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/due-process-equal-protectio n-and-disenfranchisement/.
The Editorial Board. "Ohio's Unconstitutional Abortion Bill." New York Times, 26 Mar. 2018, p. A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532226420/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=57f92b8b.
Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2019.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality-2021/maternal-mortality-2021.h tm.
Jasper, William F. "Not Requiring Parental Consent for Abortion Endangers Teenage Girls." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, by Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010066253/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=ed45ee82.
Krock, Lexi. “Fertility Throughout Life.” Nova Online, PBS, Oct. 2001, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/fert_text.html#:~:text=Female%3A%20At%2020%20wee ks%2C%20a,six%20to%20seven%20million%20eggs.
Lowry, PJ et. al. “The Placenta Really Does Act like a Parasite, Reading Research Suggests.” Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Reading, 14 Nov. 2007, www.reading.ac.uk/news-archive/press-releases/pr9938.html#:~:text=The%20human%20 foetus%20and%20placenta,particular%20diverting%20blood%20and%20nutrients.
Markovic, Milan. “Vessels of Reproduction: Forced Pregnancy and the ICC.” Texas A&M Law, 2007, https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facschola163/
“Perineal Tears during Childbirth.” Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/tears/tears-childbirth/.
Postpartum Hemorrhage, Mar. 2020, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-hemorrhage.aspx.
“Raising the Alarm on Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage - UNFPA.” Girls Not Brides, 14 Nov. 2013, www.girlsnotbrides.org/unless-we-end-child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancies-will-remai n-an-everyday-occurrence-in-developing-countries-unfpa-report/.
"Roe v. Wade." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18. Ruse, Cathy, and Rob Schwarzwalder. “The Best Pro-Life Arguments for Secular Audiences.” Family Research Council , 2011, www.frc.org/brochure/the-best-pro-life-arguments-for-secular-audiences.
Smith, Kate. “A Pregnant 11-Year-Old Rape Victim in Ohio Would No Longer Be Allowed to Have an Abortion under New State Law.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 May 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill-pregnant-11-year-old-rape-victim-barred-abortion-after-new-ohio-abortion-bill-2019-05-13/.
Tobah, Yvonne Butler. “Can Vaginal Tears during Childbirth Be Prevented?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/expert-answers/preventin g-vaginal-tearing-during-childbirth/faq-20416226.
“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body Changes to Expect.” Legacy Community Health, 11 Dec. 2019, www.legacycommunityhealth.org/newsblog-what-permanent-post-pregnancy-body-chan ges-to-expect/.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Niamh Gray-Wilson. “Characteristics of Life.” CK-12, FlexBook Platform, 30 June 2013, www.ck12.org/biology/characteristics-of-life/lesson/characteristics-of-l ife-advanced-bio-adv/.
Zorn, Eric. “Column: Should 11-Year-Old Girls Have to Bear Their Rapists' Babies? Ohio Says Yes.” Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-abortion-rape-heartbeat-ohio-child-argentina-20190509-story.html.

Human rights should not be up for debate!

Abortion, or the termination of a pregnancy, is healthcare and a woman’s right. As no one can truly understand someone else’s situation, it is not their place to make decisions for that person. Life is a delicate thing; to bring another life into this world by force or coercion is wrong. Abortion should not be up for debate, difficult to obtain, or prohibited. To deny a woman this right or to try to regulate it with further laws is unconstitutional and unjust. 

January of 1973, women across America rejoiced as the Supreme Court made their decision on the historic Roe v Wade case. The case was filed against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas, Texas, by Norma McCorvey under the alias of Jane Roe after he attempted to ban abortion except in life-threatening conditions (“Roe v Wade”). When McCorvey filed the lawsuit, she “alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments” (“Roe v Wade”). Three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe (“Roe v Wade”). A new clause was then added under the 14th Amendment which made it illegal for states to regulate abortions throughout the first trimester, but allowed states to make their own decisions on abortions done later on in the pregnancy as long as they had the health of the woman in mind (“Roe V Wade”). Although this case was decided nearly 50 years ago by the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists are fighting to appeal it.
Three years ago, a bill was proposed in Ohio that, if signed, would “[consider an abortion of an “unborn human”] a person under state criminal homicide statutes (The Editorial Board). Furthermore, if a fetus is now viewed as an “unborn human,” the woman who aborted the fetus could be charged with murder. The scary thing about this is that murder is punishable by life in prison or even death in in Ohio (The Editorial Board). According to Brigitte Amiri, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, “the Ohio bill is ‘blatantly unconstitutional’” (The Board Editorial). On the other hand, a fetus could not be considered a living thing to begin with because they do not follow all seven characteristics of life.
To be recognized as a living thing, you must respond to your environment, grow and change, be capable of reproduction, have complex chemistry, maintain homeostasis, be composed of cells, and be able to pass your traits onto potential offspring (Wilkin and Gray-Wilson). Yet, a fetus does not have all of these characteristics. It is not until ten weeks into the pregnancy that a male fetus has fully developed sex organs, and it is not until twenty for a female fetus to have hers - complete with six to seven million eggs (Krock). Besides, the fetus’ brain is not fully developed until thirty-three weeks, and its lungs are not fully developed until thirty-six (Aodha). That is not to say that premature babies do not survive, though; the majority of them do.
In the grand scheme of things, actually, a fetus can even go so far as to be labelled as a parasite. Think about it; it leeches off her body by diverting her blood and nutrients, avoids rejection, and influences her metabolism for its own benefit (Lowry). The placenta even has a covering around it composed of molecules called phosphocholine which disguise the placenta, thus making it invisible to the host (Lowry). Using this logic, the fetus can be viewed and classified as a parasite - especially in cases when the mother does not want to have the child or if the woman suffers from tokophobia; the pathological, morbid fear of pregnancy.
It is wrong to prevent women from obtaining abortions in situations where they are forcibly impregnated by birth coercion or by rape, as well. In 2019, an eleven year old was raped multiple times by a 26 year old, leaving her pregnant and unable to obtain an abortion because of a new heartbeat bill (Smith). This bill did not give any exceptions to anyone, regardless of if they were raped or carrying a product of incest. Even if they did give exceptions in these cases, that would mean a woman must be violated before she can have the rights over her own body.
In a news article, it is stated that over 4,000 women were raped in Ohio throughout 2017 according to the FBI (Smith). By passing this new law, women can not abort a fetus after the six week mark because the fetus has a heartbeat. The bill in question is unconstitutional as it goes against Roe v Wade, which prevents states from restricting abortion before the second trimester.
The previously mentioned eleven year old girl ended up being forced to carry the pregnancy to term, and was victim-blamed by a pregnancy care worker who said that she was, quote, “rebellious [and] refuses to listen to her mother and runs away from home all the time” (Smith). This is, of course, not a justifiable excuse as to why she was raped. There is never an excuse for rape. Her only justice was the arrest of Juan Leon-Gomez, the man who raped her. Ohio is not the only state to pass the heartbeat bill, however. Five other states had already decided to do the same, including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia (Campoy and Merelli). Hundreds of thousands of women are now trapped by the law, unable to abort regardless of the circumstances. The government was looking for a reform, but this is not the kind of reform women were looking for. Having access to family planning saves more lives than it takes.
In Argentina, two young girls at the ages of eleven and twelve were raped by men in their 60s (Zorn). Both of these girls were forced to carry their pregnancies to term, and both received c-sections around six months into the pregnancy (Zorn). Neither of the babies survived. Eric Zorn, the author of the article about this tragedy, further elaborates on the situation:
The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym “Lucia,” was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmother’s boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her family’s request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus’ lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork (Zorn).
The basis of this is undoubtedly disgusting. Stripping young girls and women of their rights to bodily autonomy results in them having less rights than a corpse. Anti-abortionists have even gone so far as to spread false information about contraceptives, claiming that Plan B-type pills are an abortive (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). This is completely false, as abortive pills can induce an abortion within the first nine weeks, while Plan B-type pills can be used only within 72 hours of unprotected sex (The Difference). Once again, contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel or progestin simply prevent ovulation, thus preventing an egg from ever being fertilized. Abortive pills medically induce an abortion after conception.
An article from Gale describes abortive pills as an alternative to surgical abortion, which is a series of two pills. One contains mifepristone, and the other contains misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks an essential hormone for pregnancy, called progesterone (“Abortion”). Two days later, the second pill is taken to contract the uterus and expel the embryo (“Abortion”). If a woman happens to change her mind before taking the misoprostol pill, it is not possible. According to a study done by the University of California in 2019, attempting to counter the effects of mifepristone with progesterone could lead to severe vaginal bleeding (“Abortion’). In conclusion, medically induced abortion is not to be confused with emergency contraception, as a medically induced abortion is effective for nine weeks, whereas emergency contraception only works up to three days after unprotected sex.
Many anti-abortionists are blinded by the existence of life. They see the removal of an embryo as a sin, proposing the rhetorical question as to why assisted suicide is illegal but abortion is not. They frenziedly ask, “what if that baby could have found the cure for cancer?” or “what if that baby could have been the next Mother Theresa?” Never do they ask themselves where the woman would be if she had not been forced to bring a child into this world. That woman could have cured cancer, too, but she lost the chance when she had to give up her life to take care of an unwanted child. To bring religion into the mix throws off the balance of what is constitutional and what is not.
We, as a country, were founded on the basis of freedom of religion; we came here to escape religious persecution. Laws and restrictions based on religious beliefs are unconstitutional and morally wrong, as one should never enforce their beliefs on others by taking legal action. Influencing someone’s opinion, however, is morally wrong the second false information is brought into the discussion. Anti-abortionists seem to throw all logical reasoning out the window by ignoring scientifical facts and jumping straight to labelling women who obtain abortions as “murderers.” They are not “pro-life,” as they call themselves. They are anti-women.
In an article previously mentioned, written by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, it is claimed that the Supreme Court ruling of abortions within the first trimester is false. They claimed that “the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade did not create a limited right to abortion but a virtually unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy” (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). Throughout their article, they commonly use quotation marks around terms to twist the mood of the sentence to their liking. When they acknowledge that the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in all factors, including emotional, they later highlight that by painting it in a negative light.
Abortion is an emotional subject, which even more so strengthens the argument as to why abortion is only the woman involved’s decision. Teenage pregnancy is also a huge part of the abortion argument. Accidents can happen, contraceptive methods could fail, or the pregnancy could be caused from rape. Teenage girls need easier access to abortion, without the requirement to notify their parents. The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy says that, quote, “minors have a right to privacy” (The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy). This implies the right to a discretionary abortion.
Parental involvement in teenage abortions and pregnacy is humilating and potentially harmful, as not everyone’s parents are accepting and understanding. To vouch for mandatory parental consent is detrimental to the safety of the girl. An article written by Francie Diep acknowledges the experiences of a few girls, one of them belonging to a girl named Sandra, saying that she “feared her father would kick her out, or worse [if he found out she was pregnant]” (Diep). Another girl, Vanessa, feared humiliation due to her parents’ religious beliefs (Diep). The third girl, Jacqueline, feared her father would disown her if he found out (Diep).
Teenagers who face a judge in the process of trying to get an abortion feel that the judges disregard their plea and focus more on their parents. Diep emphasizes this with Jacqueline’s story, restating how Jacqueline felt overlooked when she stood before a judge to prove that she was mature enough to have an abortion (Diep). Imagine being a teenager and having to stand before a judge to prove you are mature enough to abort. If you are not found mature enough in their eyes to have an abortion, you will be forced to haven a child. In other words, you would be mature enough to raise an entire, living person, but you would not be mature enough to live your life the way you want.
Girls are not being taken seriously by courts despite how hard they try to make themselves understood. If they are mature enough to hold down a “prestigious internship” like Jacqueline, then they are mature enough to make their own decisions (Diep). Withholding the right for a young woman to get an abortion because her parents refuse to consent for one is an incredibly damaging, backwards way of thinking.
The opposite side of the argument, however, believes otherwise for fear of the girls’ safety. Statistically, many young women in California are lured into sexual relationships with pedophiles, whether they want to admit it or not (Jasper). The worst part is these men usually escape criminal charges of statutory rape. Many of them can easily take their girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion without consent from the girl’s parents (Jasper). This is because Planned Parenthood is not legally required to contact authorities or the minor’s parents if a minor schedules an appointment for an abortion since all patient information is confidential (Jasper). Thus, any evidence of their criminal act can be swept under the rug and they can get away with it.
Furthermore, most states require parental consent for a teenager to get a tattoo or a piercing, and both schools and hospitals require permission to give a minor aspirin (Jasper). People with this mindset believe that without parental consent, the young woman could be subject to danger or even trauma. They seem to be missing the point, though. Tattoos and piercings are not life-changing, but the birth of an unwanted child is; pregnancy permanently changes a woman’s body. Pregnancy can result in larger feet, melasma, abdominal separation, loss of bladder control, and even tooth loss (“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body”). With this in mind, it should not be the parents’ decision to let their daughter abort, even if they plan on putting the child up for adoption after its birth. Putting your daughter in harm’s way by forcing her through an unwanted pregnancy is not a way to keep your daughter safe.
While the young woman could be subject to danger or trauma by an abortion, she could very well be subject to both of those things without an abortion. Pregnancy can be extremely traumatic for some women, and it is nearly unimaginable how traumatic it must be to force a teenage girl to carry her pregnancy to term. In countries such as Africa and India, many girls find themselves subject to child marriages. According to an article from Girls Not Brides, over seven million girls under the age of 18 - including two million girls under the age of 14 - give birth in third-world countries (“Raising the Alarm”). The article further explains that about 90% of these births happen within marriage (“Raising the Alarm”). They have no say in their marriages and pregnancies, and they have little to no access to education (“Raising the Alarm”). These girls are left to helplessly take care of their children regardless of how they feel about the situation. One girl affected by this, Kamal, said that when no one was home she would read her old textbooks and cry (“Raising the Alarm”). Another girl, Kanas, said that she cannot even remember when was married off to her husband because she was so young at the time (“Raising the Alarm”).
While these cases mostly happen outside of the U.S., our country is no stranger to the darker sides of childbirth. In fact, our country is one of the few that actually has a rising mortality rate of women during childbirth. Dr. Donna L. Hoyert states on CDC’s website that “in 2019, 754 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 658 in 2018” (Hoyert). That, she further explains, means that there are about 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert). With mortality rates rising rather than falling, it would be ignorant to say that childbirth does not pose that large of a threat. Excusing the threat of dying on the hospital bed, women nearly always rip open during childbirth. An article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explicitly says that about “[nine out of ten] first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy (“Perineal Tears During Childbirth). That could mean ripping open from your vagina to your anus, from your vagina to your clitorus, or even from your vagina to your thigh. Doctor Yvonne Butler Tobah says in an article from the Mayo Clinic that while there are several things a woman could do to lower the chances of vaginal tearing, there is actually no guarantee that they could prevent it (Tobah). Wounds heal and pain fades, but memories always remain.
There is also the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth or postpartum. As mentioned on the March of Dimes website, “women usually lose about half a quart of blood during vaginal birth or about one quart after a cesarean birth” (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). A woman could also experience uterine atony, inversion, or rupture (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). There are a million other things that could possibly go wrong besides hemorrhaging; women could contract sepsis, ICP, or DIC (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). In other words, childbirth may be natural, but that does not mean that it is particularly safe.
Sex education is extremely important and should be taught to all children in an age-appropriate manner before they reach puberty. Improper sex education is the cause of most teenage pregnancy, and can result in misinformation regarding the use of contraceptives. To prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion, sex education must be properly taught so kids understand the cause of their actions. However, it should be completely up to the girl on whether or not she wishes to abort if an accident happens because she will always be her own first priority.
Unfortunately, SCOTUS is looking to either overturn or completely scrap Roe v Wade by 2022. Ridding women of the right to choose will put many lives in danger, and will cause more harm than good. Overturning Roe v Wade would be unconstitutional because it would blatantly counteract the Due Process Clause 14th Amendment, which requires that individuals be treated fairly under the law (“Due Process Clause). If women are no longer given the rights over their own body, all of our rights are in jeopardy because the Due Process Clause would be rendered useless. This is the reality we face if abortion is made illegal.

Abortion should not be up for debate or challenged by politicians and lawmakers because it involves no one but the women affected. No one should have the right to restrict access to abortion, or the right to prohibit obtaining it. Women should have the right to choose regardless of the circumstances, which means their rights should not be limited to certain aspects such as rape or incest. Further, women are not walking wombs or living incubators for the unborn. We are human. It is unconstitutional and morally corrupt to put your personal beliefs before someone else’s own life, even if you think it means that another life may be lost. Life is a fragile thing, but the loss of one may save another. That is why abortion should not be debated or argued against. 

Works Cited
"Abortion." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999336/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=163555a9 .
“Abortion is Healthcare.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/abortion-is-healthcare
Aodha, Gráinne Ní. “Pregnancy Timeline: When Does the Heart, Brain, and Face Form?” TheJournal.ie, 8 May 2018, https://www.thejournal.ie/pregnancy-timeline-3979399-May2018/#:~:text=From%20week%2033%20the%20baby,ready%20for%20breathing%20after%20birth.
Campoy, Ana, and Annalisa Merelli. “These Are All the States That Have Adopted Anti-Abortion Laws so Far in 2019.” Quartz, Quartz, 30 May 2019, qz.com/1627412/these-are-all-the-states-with-anti-abortion-laws-signed-in-2019/.
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. "Teenagers Seeking Contraception Should Not Be Required to Notify Their Parents." Teens at Risk, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010167251/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=7d2df3df.
Diep, Francie. "Parental Involvement Laws Can Impose Harmful Burdens on Pregnant Minors." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.c om/apps/doc/PRQDJD938454735/OVIC?u=aubu72351 &sid= O VIC&xid=9ce75191.
“The Difference Between the Morning-After Pill and the Abortion Pill.” Planned Parenthood, Apr. 2016, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3914/6012/8466/Difference_Between_the_Morning-A fter_Pill_and_the_Abortion_Pill.pdf.
“Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause and Disenfranchising Felons.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/due-process-equal-protectio n-and-disenfranchisement/.
The Editorial Board. "Ohio's Unconstitutional Abortion Bill." New York Times, 26 Mar. 2018, p. A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532226420/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=57f92b8b.
Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2019.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality-2021/maternal-mortality-2021.h tm.
Jasper, William F. "Not Requiring Parental Consent for Abortion Endangers Teenage Girls." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, by Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010066253/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=ed45ee82.
Krock, Lexi. “Fertility Throughout Life.” Nova Online, PBS, Oct. 2001, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/fert_text.html#:~:text=Female%3A%20At%2020%20wee ks%2C%20a,six%20to%20seven%20million%20eggs.
Lowry, PJ et. al. “The Placenta Really Does Act like a Parasite, Reading Research Suggests.” Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Reading, 14 Nov. 2007, www.reading.ac.uk/news-archive/press-releases/pr9938.html#:~:text=The%20human%20 foetus%20and%20placenta,particular%20diverting%20blood%20and%20nutrients.
Markovic, Milan. “Vessels of Reproduction: Forced Pregnancy and the ICC.” Texas A&M Law, 2007, https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facschola163/
“Perineal Tears during Childbirth.” Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/tears/tears-childbirth/.
Postpartum Hemorrhage, Mar. 2020, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-hemorrhage.aspx.
“Raising the Alarm on Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage - UNFPA.” Girls Not Brides, 14 Nov. 2013, www.girlsnotbrides.org/unless-we-end-child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancies-will-remai n-an-everyday-occurrence-in-developing-countries-unfpa-report/.
"Roe v. Wade." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18. Ruse, Cathy, and Rob Schwarzwalder. “The Best Pro-Life Arguments for Secular Audiences.” Family Research Council , 2011, www.frc.org/brochure/the-best-pro-life-arguments-for-secular-audiences.
Smith, Kate. “A Pregnant 11-Year-Old Rape Victim in Ohio Would No Longer Be Allowed to Have an Abortion under New State Law.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 May 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill-pregnant-11-year-old-rape-victim-barred-abortion-after-new-ohio-abortion-bill-2019-05-13/.
Tobah, Yvonne Butler. “Can Vaginal Tears during Childbirth Be Prevented?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/expert-answers/preventin g-vaginal-tearing-during-childbirth/faq-20416226.
“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body Changes to Expect.” Legacy Community Health, 11 Dec. 2019, www.legacycommunityhealth.org/newsblog-what-permanent-post-pregnancy-body-chan ges-to-expect/.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Niamh Gray-Wilson. “Characteristics of Life.” CK-12, FlexBook Platform, 30 June 2013, www.ck12.org/biology/characteristics-of-life/lesson/characteristics-of-l ife-advanced-bio-adv/.
Zorn, Eric. “Column: Should 11-Year-Old Girls Have to Bear Their Rapists' Babies? Ohio Says Yes.” Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-abortion-rape-heartbeat-ohio-child-argentina-20190509-story.html.

Human rights should not be up for debate!

Abortion, or the termination of a pregnancy, is healthcare and a woman’s right. As no one can truly understand someone else’s situation, it is not their place to make decisions for that person. Life is a delicate thing; to bring another life into this world by force or coercion is wrong. Abortion should not be up for debate, difficult to obtain, or prohibited. To deny a woman this right or to try to regulate it with further laws is unconstitutional and unjust. 

January of 1973, women across America rejoiced as the Supreme Court made their decision on the historic Roe v Wade case. The case was filed against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas, Texas, by Norma McCorvey under the alias of Jane Roe after he attempted to ban abortion except in life-threatening conditions (“Roe v Wade”). When McCorvey filed the lawsuit, she “alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments” (“Roe v Wade”). Three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe (“Roe v Wade”). A new clause was then added under the 14th Amendment which made it illegal for states to regulate abortions throughout the first trimester, but allowed states to make their own decisions on abortions done later on in the pregnancy as long as they had the health of the woman in mind (“Roe V Wade”). Although this case was decided nearly 50 years ago by the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists are fighting to appeal it.
Three years ago, a bill was proposed in Ohio that, if signed, would “[consider an abortion of an “unborn human”] a person under state criminal homicide statutes (The Editorial Board). Furthermore, if a fetus is now viewed as an “unborn human,” the woman who aborted the fetus could be charged with murder. The scary thing about this is that murder is punishable by life in prison or even death in in Ohio (The Editorial Board). According to Brigitte Amiri, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, “the Ohio bill is ‘blatantly unconstitutional’” (The Board Editorial). On the other hand, a fetus could not be considered a living thing to begin with because they do not follow all seven characteristics of life.
To be recognized as a living thing, you must respond to your environment, grow and change, be capable of reproduction, have complex chemistry, maintain homeostasis, be composed of cells, and be able to pass your traits onto potential offspring (Wilkin and Gray-Wilson). Yet, a fetus does not have all of these characteristics. It is not until ten weeks into the pregnancy that a male fetus has fully developed sex organs, and it is not until twenty for a female fetus to have hers - complete with six to seven million eggs (Krock). Besides, the fetus’ brain is not fully developed until thirty-three weeks, and its lungs are not fully developed until thirty-six (Aodha). That is not to say that premature babies do not survive, though; the majority of them do.
In the grand scheme of things, actually, a fetus can even go so far as to be labelled as a parasite. Think about it; it leeches off her body by diverting her blood and nutrients, avoids rejection, and influences her metabolism for its own benefit (Lowry). The placenta even has a covering around it composed of molecules called phosphocholine which disguise the placenta, thus making it invisible to the host (Lowry). Using this logic, the fetus can be viewed and classified as a parasite - especially in cases when the mother does not want to have the child or if the woman suffers from tokophobia; the pathological, morbid fear of pregnancy.
It is wrong to prevent women from obtaining abortions in situations where they are forcibly impregnated by birth coercion or by rape, as well. In 2019, an eleven year old was raped multiple times by a 26 year old, leaving her pregnant and unable to obtain an abortion because of a new heartbeat bill (Smith). This bill did not give any exceptions to anyone, regardless of if they were raped or carrying a product of incest. Even if they did give exceptions in these cases, that would mean a woman must be violated before she can have the rights over her own body.
In a news article, it is stated that over 4,000 women were raped in Ohio throughout 2017 according to the FBI (Smith). By passing this new law, women can not abort a fetus after the six week mark because the fetus has a heartbeat. The bill in question is unconstitutional as it goes against Roe v Wade, which prevents states from restricting abortion before the second trimester.
The previously mentioned eleven year old girl ended up being forced to carry the pregnancy to term, and was victim-blamed by a pregnancy care worker who said that she was, quote, “rebellious [and] refuses to listen to her mother and runs away from home all the time” (Smith). This is, of course, not a justifiable excuse as to why she was raped. There is never an excuse for rape. Her only justice was the arrest of Juan Leon-Gomez, the man who raped her. Ohio is not the only state to pass the heartbeat bill, however. Five other states had already decided to do the same, including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia (Campoy and Merelli). Hundreds of thousands of women are now trapped by the law, unable to abort regardless of the circumstances. The government was looking for a reform, but this is not the kind of reform women were looking for. Having access to family planning saves more lives than it takes.
In Argentina, two young girls at the ages of eleven and twelve were raped by men in their 60s (Zorn). Both of these girls were forced to carry their pregnancies to term, and both received c-sections around six months into the pregnancy (Zorn). Neither of the babies survived. Eric Zorn, the author of the article about this tragedy, further elaborates on the situation:
The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym “Lucia,” was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmother’s boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her family’s request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus’ lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork (Zorn).
The basis of this is undoubtedly disgusting. Stripping young girls and women of their rights to bodily autonomy results in them having less rights than a corpse. Anti-abortionists have even gone so far as to spread false information about contraceptives, claiming that Plan B-type pills are an abortive (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). This is completely false, as abortive pills can induce an abortion within the first nine weeks, while Plan B-type pills can be used only within 72 hours of unprotected sex (The Difference). Once again, contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel or progestin simply prevent ovulation, thus preventing an egg from ever being fertilized. Abortive pills medically induce an abortion after conception.
An article from Gale describes abortive pills as an alternative to surgical abortion, which is a series of two pills. One contains mifepristone, and the other contains misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks an essential hormone for pregnancy, called progesterone (“Abortion”). Two days later, the second pill is taken to contract the uterus and expel the embryo (“Abortion”). If a woman happens to change her mind before taking the misoprostol pill, it is not possible. According to a study done by the University of California in 2019, attempting to counter the effects of mifepristone with progesterone could lead to severe vaginal bleeding (“Abortion’). In conclusion, medically induced abortion is not to be confused with emergency contraception, as a medically induced abortion is effective for nine weeks, whereas emergency contraception only works up to three days after unprotected sex.
Many anti-abortionists are blinded by the existence of life. They see the removal of an embryo as a sin, proposing the rhetorical question as to why assisted suicide is illegal but abortion is not. They frenziedly ask, “what if that baby could have found the cure for cancer?” or “what if that baby could have been the next Mother Theresa?” Never do they ask themselves where the woman would be if she had not been forced to bring a child into this world. That woman could have cured cancer, too, but she lost the chance when she had to give up her life to take care of an unwanted child. To bring religion into the mix throws off the balance of what is constitutional and what is not.
We, as a country, were founded on the basis of freedom of religion; we came here to escape religious persecution. Laws and restrictions based on religious beliefs are unconstitutional and morally wrong, as one should never enforce their beliefs on others by taking legal action. Influencing someone’s opinion, however, is morally wrong the second false information is brought into the discussion. Anti-abortionists seem to throw all logical reasoning out the window by ignoring scientifical facts and jumping straight to labelling women who obtain abortions as “murderers.” They are not “pro-life,” as they call themselves. They are anti-women.
In an article previously mentioned, written by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, it is claimed that the Supreme Court ruling of abortions within the first trimester is false. They claimed that “the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade did not create a limited right to abortion but a virtually unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy” (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). Throughout their article, they commonly use quotation marks around terms to twist the mood of the sentence to their liking. When they acknowledge that the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in all factors, including emotional, they later highlight that by painting it in a negative light.
Abortion is an emotional subject, which even more so strengthens the argument as to why abortion is only the woman involved’s decision. Teenage pregnancy is also a huge part of the abortion argument. Accidents can happen, contraceptive methods could fail, or the pregnancy could be caused from rape. Teenage girls need easier access to abortion, without the requirement to notify their parents. The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy says that, quote, “minors have a right to privacy” (The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy). This implies the right to a discretionary abortion.
Parental involvement in teenage abortions and pregnacy is humilating and potentially harmful, as not everyone’s parents are accepting and understanding. To vouch for mandatory parental consent is detrimental to the safety of the girl. An article written by Francie Diep acknowledges the experiences of a few girls, one of them belonging to a girl named Sandra, saying that she “feared her father would kick her out, or worse [if he found out she was pregnant]” (Diep). Another girl, Vanessa, feared humiliation due to her parents’ religious beliefs (Diep). The third girl, Jacqueline, feared her father would disown her if he found out (Diep).
Teenagers who face a judge in the process of trying to get an abortion feel that the judges disregard their plea and focus more on their parents. Diep emphasizes this with Jacqueline’s story, restating how Jacqueline felt overlooked when she stood before a judge to prove that she was mature enough to have an abortion (Diep). Imagine being a teenager and having to stand before a judge to prove you are mature enough to abort. If you are not found mature enough in their eyes to have an abortion, you will be forced to haven a child. In other words, you would be mature enough to raise an entire, living person, but you would not be mature enough to live your life the way you want.
Girls are not being taken seriously by courts despite how hard they try to make themselves understood. If they are mature enough to hold down a “prestigious internship” like Jacqueline, then they are mature enough to make their own decisions (Diep). Withholding the right for a young woman to get an abortion because her parents refuse to consent for one is an incredibly damaging, backwards way of thinking.
The opposite side of the argument, however, believes otherwise for fear of the girls’ safety. Statistically, many young women in California are lured into sexual relationships with pedophiles, whether they want to admit it or not (Jasper). The worst part is these men usually escape criminal charges of statutory rape. Many of them can easily take their girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion without consent from the girl’s parents (Jasper). This is because Planned Parenthood is not legally required to contact authorities or the minor’s parents if a minor schedules an appointment for an abortion since all patient information is confidential (Jasper). Thus, any evidence of their criminal act can be swept under the rug and they can get away with it.
Furthermore, most states require parental consent for a teenager to get a tattoo or a piercing, and both schools and hospitals require permission to give a minor aspirin (Jasper). People with this mindset believe that without parental consent, the young woman could be subject to danger or even trauma. They seem to be missing the point, though. Tattoos and piercings are not life-changing, but the birth of an unwanted child is; pregnancy permanently changes a woman’s body. Pregnancy can result in larger feet, melasma, abdominal separation, loss of bladder control, and even tooth loss (“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body”). With this in mind, it should not be the parents’ decision to let their daughter abort, even if they plan on putting the child up for adoption after its birth. Putting your daughter in harm’s way by forcing her through an unwanted pregnancy is not a way to keep your daughter safe.
While the young woman could be subject to danger or trauma by an abortion, she could very well be subject to both of those things without an abortion. Pregnancy can be extremely traumatic for some women, and it is nearly unimaginable how traumatic it must be to force a teenage girl to carry her pregnancy to term. In countries such as Africa and India, many girls find themselves subject to child marriages. According to an article from Girls Not Brides, over seven million girls under the age of 18 - including two million girls under the age of 14 - give birth in third-world countries (“Raising the Alarm”). The article further explains that about 90% of these births happen within marriage (“Raising the Alarm”). They have no say in their marriages and pregnancies, and they have little to no access to education (“Raising the Alarm”). These girls are left to helplessly take care of their children regardless of how they feel about the situation. One girl affected by this, Kamal, said that when no one was home she would read her old textbooks and cry (“Raising the Alarm”). Another girl, Kanas, said that she cannot even remember when was married off to her husband because she was so young at the time (“Raising the Alarm”).
While these cases mostly happen outside of the U.S., our country is no stranger to the darker sides of childbirth. In fact, our country is one of the few that actually has a rising mortality rate of women during childbirth. Dr. Donna L. Hoyert states on CDC’s website that “in 2019, 754 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 658 in 2018” (Hoyert). That, she further explains, means that there are about 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert). With mortality rates rising rather than falling, it would be ignorant to say that childbirth does not pose that large of a threat. Excusing the threat of dying on the hospital bed, women nearly always rip open during childbirth. An article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explicitly says that about “[nine out of ten] first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy (“Perineal Tears During Childbirth). That could mean ripping open from your vagina to your anus, from your vagina to your clitorus, or even from your vagina to your thigh. Doctor Yvonne Butler Tobah says in an article from the Mayo Clinic that while there are several things a woman could do to lower the chances of vaginal tearing, there is actually no guarantee that they could prevent it (Tobah). Wounds heal and pain fades, but memories always remain.
There is also the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth or postpartum. As mentioned on the March of Dimes website, “women usually lose about half a quart of blood during vaginal birth or about one quart after a cesarean birth” (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). A woman could also experience uterine atony, inversion, or rupture (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). There are a million other things that could possibly go wrong besides hemorrhaging; women could contract sepsis, ICP, or DIC (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). In other words, childbirth may be natural, but that does not mean that it is particularly safe.
Sex education is extremely important and should be taught to all children in an age-appropriate manner before they reach puberty. Improper sex education is the cause of most teenage pregnancy, and can result in misinformation regarding the use of contraceptives. To prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion, sex education must be properly taught so kids understand the cause of their actions. However, it should be completely up to the girl on whether or not she wishes to abort if an accident happens because she will always be her own first priority.
Unfortunately, SCOTUS is looking to either overturn or completely scrap Roe v Wade by 2022. Ridding women of the right to choose will put many lives in danger, and will cause more harm than good. Overturning Roe v Wade would be unconstitutional because it would blatantly counteract the Due Process Clause 14th Amendment, which requires that individuals be treated fairly under the law (“Due Process Clause). If women are no longer given the rights over their own body, all of our rights are in jeopardy because the Due Process Clause would be rendered useless. This is the reality we face if abortion is made illegal.

Abortion should not be up for debate or challenged by politicians and lawmakers because it involves no one but the women affected. No one should have the right to restrict access to abortion, or the right to prohibit obtaining it. Women should have the right to choose regardless of the circumstances, which means their rights should not be limited to certain aspects such as rape or incest. Further, women are not walking wombs or living incubators for the unborn. We are human. It is unconstitutional and morally corrupt to put your personal beliefs before someone else’s own life, even if you think it means that another life may be lost. Life is a fragile thing, but the loss of one may save another. That is why abortion should not be debated or argued against. 

Works Cited
"Abortion." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999336/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=163555a9 .
“Abortion is Healthcare.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/abortion-is-healthcare
Aodha, Gráinne Ní. “Pregnancy Timeline: When Does the Heart, Brain, and Face Form?” TheJournal.ie, 8 May 2018, https://www.thejournal.ie/pregnancy-timeline-3979399-May2018/#:~:text=From%20week%2033%20the%20baby,ready%20for%20breathing%20after%20birth.
Campoy, Ana, and Annalisa Merelli. “These Are All the States That Have Adopted Anti-Abortion Laws so Far in 2019.” Quartz, Quartz, 30 May 2019, qz.com/1627412/these-are-all-the-states-with-anti-abortion-laws-signed-in-2019/.
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. "Teenagers Seeking Contraception Should Not Be Required to Notify Their Parents." Teens at Risk, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010167251/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=7d2df3df.
Diep, Francie. "Parental Involvement Laws Can Impose Harmful Burdens on Pregnant Minors." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.c om/apps/doc/PRQDJD938454735/OVIC?u=aubu72351 &sid= O VIC&xid=9ce75191.
“The Difference Between the Morning-After Pill and the Abortion Pill.” Planned Parenthood, Apr. 2016, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3914/6012/8466/Difference_Between_the_Morning-A fter_Pill_and_the_Abortion_Pill.pdf.
“Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause and Disenfranchising Felons.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/due-process-equal-protectio n-and-disenfranchisement/.
The Editorial Board. "Ohio's Unconstitutional Abortion Bill." New York Times, 26 Mar. 2018, p. A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532226420/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=57f92b8b.
Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2019.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality-2021/maternal-mortality-2021.h tm.
Jasper, William F. "Not Requiring Parental Consent for Abortion Endangers Teenage Girls." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, by Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010066253/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=ed45ee82.
Krock, Lexi. “Fertility Throughout Life.” Nova Online, PBS, Oct. 2001, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/fert_text.html#:~:text=Female%3A%20At%2020%20wee ks%2C%20a,six%20to%20seven%20million%20eggs.
Lowry, PJ et. al. “The Placenta Really Does Act like a Parasite, Reading Research Suggests.” Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Reading, 14 Nov. 2007, www.reading.ac.uk/news-archive/press-releases/pr9938.html#:~:text=The%20human%20 foetus%20and%20placenta,particular%20diverting%20blood%20and%20nutrients.
Markovic, Milan. “Vessels of Reproduction: Forced Pregnancy and the ICC.” Texas A&M Law, 2007, https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facschola163/
“Perineal Tears during Childbirth.” Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/tears/tears-childbirth/.
Postpartum Hemorrhage, Mar. 2020, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-hemorrhage.aspx.
“Raising the Alarm on Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage - UNFPA.” Girls Not Brides, 14 Nov. 2013, www.girlsnotbrides.org/unless-we-end-child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancies-will-remai n-an-everyday-occurrence-in-developing-countries-unfpa-report/.
"Roe v. Wade." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18. Ruse, Cathy, and Rob Schwarzwalder. “The Best Pro-Life Arguments for Secular Audiences.” Family Research Council , 2011, www.frc.org/brochure/the-best-pro-life-arguments-for-secular-audiences.
Smith, Kate. “A Pregnant 11-Year-Old Rape Victim in Ohio Would No Longer Be Allowed to Have an Abortion under New State Law.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 May 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill-pregnant-11-year-old-rape-victim-barred-abortion-after-new-ohio-abortion-bill-2019-05-13/.
Tobah, Yvonne Butler. “Can Vaginal Tears during Childbirth Be Prevented?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/expert-answers/preventin g-vaginal-tearing-during-childbirth/faq-20416226.
“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body Changes to Expect.” Legacy Community Health, 11 Dec. 2019, www.legacycommunityhealth.org/newsblog-what-permanent-post-pregnancy-body-chan ges-to-expect/.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Niamh Gray-Wilson. “Characteristics of Life.” CK-12, FlexBook Platform, 30 June 2013, www.ck12.org/biology/characteristics-of-life/lesson/characteristics-of-l ife-advanced-bio-adv/.
Zorn, Eric. “Column: Should 11-Year-Old Girls Have to Bear Their Rapists' Babies? Ohio Says Yes.” Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-abortion-rape-heartbeat-ohio-child-argentina-20190509-story.html.

Human rights should not be up for debate!

Abortion, or the termination of a pregnancy, is healthcare and a woman’s right. As no one can truly understand someone else’s situation, it is not their place to make decisions for that person. Life is a delicate thing; to bring another life into this world by force or coercion is wrong. Abortion should not be up for debate, difficult to obtain, or prohibited. To deny a woman this right or to try to regulate it with further laws is unconstitutional and unjust. 

January of 1973, women across America rejoiced as the Supreme Court made their decision on the historic Roe v Wade case. The case was filed against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas, Texas, by Norma McCorvey under the alias of Jane Roe after he attempted to ban abortion except in life-threatening conditions (“Roe v Wade”). When McCorvey filed the lawsuit, she “alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments” (“Roe v Wade”). Three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe (“Roe v Wade”). A new clause was then added under the 14th Amendment which made it illegal for states to regulate abortions throughout the first trimester, but allowed states to make their own decisions on abortions done later on in the pregnancy as long as they had the health of the woman in mind (“Roe V Wade”). Although this case was decided nearly 50 years ago by the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists are fighting to appeal it.
Three years ago, a bill was proposed in Ohio that, if signed, would “[consider an abortion of an “unborn human”] a person under state criminal homicide statutes (The Editorial Board). Furthermore, if a fetus is now viewed as an “unborn human,” the woman who aborted the fetus could be charged with murder. The scary thing about this is that murder is punishable by life in prison or even death in in Ohio (The Editorial Board). According to Brigitte Amiri, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, “the Ohio bill is ‘blatantly unconstitutional’” (The Board Editorial). On the other hand, a fetus could not be considered a living thing to begin with because they do not follow all seven characteristics of life.
To be recognized as a living thing, you must respond to your environment, grow and change, be capable of reproduction, have complex chemistry, maintain homeostasis, be composed of cells, and be able to pass your traits onto potential offspring (Wilkin and Gray-Wilson). Yet, a fetus does not have all of these characteristics. It is not until ten weeks into the pregnancy that a male fetus has fully developed sex organs, and it is not until twenty for a female fetus to have hers - complete with six to seven million eggs (Krock). Besides, the fetus’ brain is not fully developed until thirty-three weeks, and its lungs are not fully developed until thirty-six (Aodha). That is not to say that premature babies do not survive, though; the majority of them do.
In the grand scheme of things, actually, a fetus can even go so far as to be labelled as a parasite. Think about it; it leeches off her body by diverting her blood and nutrients, avoids rejection, and influences her metabolism for its own benefit (Lowry). The placenta even has a covering around it composed of molecules called phosphocholine which disguise the placenta, thus making it invisible to the host (Lowry). Using this logic, the fetus can be viewed and classified as a parasite - especially in cases when the mother does not want to have the child or if the woman suffers from tokophobia; the pathological, morbid fear of pregnancy.
It is wrong to prevent women from obtaining abortions in situations where they are forcibly impregnated by birth coercion or by rape, as well. In 2019, an eleven year old was raped multiple times by a 26 year old, leaving her pregnant and unable to obtain an abortion because of a new heartbeat bill (Smith). This bill did not give any exceptions to anyone, regardless of if they were raped or carrying a product of incest. Even if they did give exceptions in these cases, that would mean a woman must be violated before she can have the rights over her own body.
In a news article, it is stated that over 4,000 women were raped in Ohio throughout 2017 according to the FBI (Smith). By passing this new law, women can not abort a fetus after the six week mark because the fetus has a heartbeat. The bill in question is unconstitutional as it goes against Roe v Wade, which prevents states from restricting abortion before the second trimester.
The previously mentioned eleven year old girl ended up being forced to carry the pregnancy to term, and was victim-blamed by a pregnancy care worker who said that she was, quote, “rebellious [and] refuses to listen to her mother and runs away from home all the time” (Smith). This is, of course, not a justifiable excuse as to why she was raped. There is never an excuse for rape. Her only justice was the arrest of Juan Leon-Gomez, the man who raped her. Ohio is not the only state to pass the heartbeat bill, however. Five other states had already decided to do the same, including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia (Campoy and Merelli). Hundreds of thousands of women are now trapped by the law, unable to abort regardless of the circumstances. The government was looking for a reform, but this is not the kind of reform women were looking for. Having access to family planning saves more lives than it takes.
In Argentina, two young girls at the ages of eleven and twelve were raped by men in their 60s (Zorn). Both of these girls were forced to carry their pregnancies to term, and both received c-sections around six months into the pregnancy (Zorn). Neither of the babies survived. Eric Zorn, the author of the article about this tragedy, further elaborates on the situation:
The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym “Lucia,” was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmother’s boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her family’s request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus’ lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork (Zorn).
The basis of this is undoubtedly disgusting. Stripping young girls and women of their rights to bodily autonomy results in them having less rights than a corpse. Anti-abortionists have even gone so far as to spread false information about contraceptives, claiming that Plan B-type pills are an abortive (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). This is completely false, as abortive pills can induce an abortion within the first nine weeks, while Plan B-type pills can be used only within 72 hours of unprotected sex (The Difference). Once again, contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel or progestin simply prevent ovulation, thus preventing an egg from ever being fertilized. Abortive pills medically induce an abortion after conception.
An article from Gale describes abortive pills as an alternative to surgical abortion, which is a series of two pills. One contains mifepristone, and the other contains misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks an essential hormone for pregnancy, called progesterone (“Abortion”). Two days later, the second pill is taken to contract the uterus and expel the embryo (“Abortion”). If a woman happens to change her mind before taking the misoprostol pill, it is not possible. According to a study done by the University of California in 2019, attempting to counter the effects of mifepristone with progesterone could lead to severe vaginal bleeding (“Abortion’). In conclusion, medically induced abortion is not to be confused with emergency contraception, as a medically induced abortion is effective for nine weeks, whereas emergency contraception only works up to three days after unprotected sex.
Many anti-abortionists are blinded by the existence of life. They see the removal of an embryo as a sin, proposing the rhetorical question as to why assisted suicide is illegal but abortion is not. They frenziedly ask, “what if that baby could have found the cure for cancer?” or “what if that baby could have been the next Mother Theresa?” Never do they ask themselves where the woman would be if she had not been forced to bring a child into this world. That woman could have cured cancer, too, but she lost the chance when she had to give up her life to take care of an unwanted child. To bring religion into the mix throws off the balance of what is constitutional and what is not.
We, as a country, were founded on the basis of freedom of religion; we came here to escape religious persecution. Laws and restrictions based on religious beliefs are unconstitutional and morally wrong, as one should never enforce their beliefs on others by taking legal action. Influencing someone’s opinion, however, is morally wrong the second false information is brought into the discussion. Anti-abortionists seem to throw all logical reasoning out the window by ignoring scientifical facts and jumping straight to labelling women who obtain abortions as “murderers.” They are not “pro-life,” as they call themselves. They are anti-women.
In an article previously mentioned, written by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, it is claimed that the Supreme Court ruling of abortions within the first trimester is false. They claimed that “the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade did not create a limited right to abortion but a virtually unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy” (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). Throughout their article, they commonly use quotation marks around terms to twist the mood of the sentence to their liking. When they acknowledge that the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in all factors, including emotional, they later highlight that by painting it in a negative light.
Abortion is an emotional subject, which even more so strengthens the argument as to why abortion is only the woman involved’s decision. Teenage pregnancy is also a huge part of the abortion argument. Accidents can happen, contraceptive methods could fail, or the pregnancy could be caused from rape. Teenage girls need easier access to abortion, without the requirement to notify their parents. The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy says that, quote, “minors have a right to privacy” (The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy). This implies the right to a discretionary abortion.
Parental involvement in teenage abortions and pregnacy is humilating and potentially harmful, as not everyone’s parents are accepting and understanding. To vouch for mandatory parental consent is detrimental to the safety of the girl. An article written by Francie Diep acknowledges the experiences of a few girls, one of them belonging to a girl named Sandra, saying that she “feared her father would kick her out, or worse [if he found out she was pregnant]” (Diep). Another girl, Vanessa, feared humiliation due to her parents’ religious beliefs (Diep). The third girl, Jacqueline, feared her father would disown her if he found out (Diep).
Teenagers who face a judge in the process of trying to get an abortion feel that the judges disregard their plea and focus more on their parents. Diep emphasizes this with Jacqueline’s story, restating how Jacqueline felt overlooked when she stood before a judge to prove that she was mature enough to have an abortion (Diep). Imagine being a teenager and having to stand before a judge to prove you are mature enough to abort. If you are not found mature enough in their eyes to have an abortion, you will be forced to haven a child. In other words, you would be mature enough to raise an entire, living person, but you would not be mature enough to live your life the way you want.
Girls are not being taken seriously by courts despite how hard they try to make themselves understood. If they are mature enough to hold down a “prestigious internship” like Jacqueline, then they are mature enough to make their own decisions (Diep). Withholding the right for a young woman to get an abortion because her parents refuse to consent for one is an incredibly damaging, backwards way of thinking.
The opposite side of the argument, however, believes otherwise for fear of the girls’ safety. Statistically, many young women in California are lured into sexual relationships with pedophiles, whether they want to admit it or not (Jasper). The worst part is these men usually escape criminal charges of statutory rape. Many of them can easily take their girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion without consent from the girl’s parents (Jasper). This is because Planned Parenthood is not legally required to contact authorities or the minor’s parents if a minor schedules an appointment for an abortion since all patient information is confidential (Jasper). Thus, any evidence of their criminal act can be swept under the rug and they can get away with it.
Furthermore, most states require parental consent for a teenager to get a tattoo or a piercing, and both schools and hospitals require permission to give a minor aspirin (Jasper). People with this mindset believe that without parental consent, the young woman could be subject to danger or even trauma. They seem to be missing the point, though. Tattoos and piercings are not life-changing, but the birth of an unwanted child is; pregnancy permanently changes a woman’s body. Pregnancy can result in larger feet, melasma, abdominal separation, loss of bladder control, and even tooth loss (“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body”). With this in mind, it should not be the parents’ decision to let their daughter abort, even if they plan on putting the child up for adoption after its birth. Putting your daughter in harm’s way by forcing her through an unwanted pregnancy is not a way to keep your daughter safe.
While the young woman could be subject to danger or trauma by an abortion, she could very well be subject to both of those things without an abortion. Pregnancy can be extremely traumatic for some women, and it is nearly unimaginable how traumatic it must be to force a teenage girl to carry her pregnancy to term. In countries such as Africa and India, many girls find themselves subject to child marriages. According to an article from Girls Not Brides, over seven million girls under the age of 18 - including two million girls under the age of 14 - give birth in third-world countries (“Raising the Alarm”). The article further explains that about 90% of these births happen within marriage (“Raising the Alarm”). They have no say in their marriages and pregnancies, and they have little to no access to education (“Raising the Alarm”). These girls are left to helplessly take care of their children regardless of how they feel about the situation. One girl affected by this, Kamal, said that when no one was home she would read her old textbooks and cry (“Raising the Alarm”). Another girl, Kanas, said that she cannot even remember when was married off to her husband because she was so young at the time (“Raising the Alarm”).
While these cases mostly happen outside of the U.S., our country is no stranger to the darker sides of childbirth. In fact, our country is one of the few that actually has a rising mortality rate of women during childbirth. Dr. Donna L. Hoyert states on CDC’s website that “in 2019, 754 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 658 in 2018” (Hoyert). That, she further explains, means that there are about 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert). With mortality rates rising rather than falling, it would be ignorant to say that childbirth does not pose that large of a threat. Excusing the threat of dying on the hospital bed, women nearly always rip open during childbirth. An article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explicitly says that about “[nine out of ten] first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy (“Perineal Tears During Childbirth). That could mean ripping open from your vagina to your anus, from your vagina to your clitorus, or even from your vagina to your thigh. Doctor Yvonne Butler Tobah says in an article from the Mayo Clinic that while there are several things a woman could do to lower the chances of vaginal tearing, there is actually no guarantee that they could prevent it (Tobah). Wounds heal and pain fades, but memories always remain.
There is also the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth or postpartum. As mentioned on the March of Dimes website, “women usually lose about half a quart of blood during vaginal birth or about one quart after a cesarean birth” (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). A woman could also experience uterine atony, inversion, or rupture (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). There are a million other things that could possibly go wrong besides hemorrhaging; women could contract sepsis, ICP, or DIC (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). In other words, childbirth may be natural, but that does not mean that it is particularly safe.
Sex education is extremely important and should be taught to all children in an age-appropriate manner before they reach puberty. Improper sex education is the cause of most teenage pregnancy, and can result in misinformation regarding the use of contraceptives. To prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion, sex education must be properly taught so kids understand the cause of their actions. However, it should be completely up to the girl on whether or not she wishes to abort if an accident happens because she will always be her own first priority.
Unfortunately, SCOTUS is looking to either overturn or completely scrap Roe v Wade by 2022. Ridding women of the right to choose will put many lives in danger, and will cause more harm than good. Overturning Roe v Wade would be unconstitutional because it would blatantly counteract the Due Process Clause 14th Amendment, which requires that individuals be treated fairly under the law (“Due Process Clause). If women are no longer given the rights over their own body, all of our rights are in jeopardy because the Due Process Clause would be rendered useless. This is the reality we face if abortion is made illegal.

Abortion should not be up for debate or challenged by politicians and lawmakers because it involves no one but the women affected. No one should have the right to restrict access to abortion, or the right to prohibit obtaining it. Women should have the right to choose regardless of the circumstances, which means their rights should not be limited to certain aspects such as rape or incest. Further, women are not walking wombs or living incubators for the unborn. We are human. It is unconstitutional and morally corrupt to put your personal beliefs before someone else’s own life, even if you think it means that another life may be lost. Life is a fragile thing, but the loss of one may save another. That is why abortion should not be debated or argued against. 

Works Cited
"Abortion." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999336/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=163555a9 .
“Abortion is Healthcare.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/abortion-is-healthcare
Aodha, Gráinne Ní. “Pregnancy Timeline: When Does the Heart, Brain, and Face Form?” TheJournal.ie, 8 May 2018, https://www.thejournal.ie/pregnancy-timeline-3979399-May2018/#:~:text=From%20week%2033%20the%20baby,ready%20for%20breathing%20after%20birth.
Campoy, Ana, and Annalisa Merelli. “These Are All the States That Have Adopted Anti-Abortion Laws so Far in 2019.” Quartz, Quartz, 30 May 2019, qz.com/1627412/these-are-all-the-states-with-anti-abortion-laws-signed-in-2019/.
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. "Teenagers Seeking Contraception Should Not Be Required to Notify Their Parents." Teens at Risk, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010167251/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=7d2df3df.
Diep, Francie. "Parental Involvement Laws Can Impose Harmful Burdens on Pregnant Minors." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.c om/apps/doc/PRQDJD938454735/OVIC?u=aubu72351 &sid= O VIC&xid=9ce75191.
“The Difference Between the Morning-After Pill and the Abortion Pill.” Planned Parenthood, Apr. 2016, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3914/6012/8466/Difference_Between_the_Morning-A fter_Pill_and_the_Abortion_Pill.pdf.
“Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause and Disenfranchising Felons.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/due-process-equal-protectio n-and-disenfranchisement/.
The Editorial Board. "Ohio's Unconstitutional Abortion Bill." New York Times, 26 Mar. 2018, p. A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532226420/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=57f92b8b.
Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2019.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality-2021/maternal-mortality-2021.h tm.
Jasper, William F. "Not Requiring Parental Consent for Abortion Endangers Teenage Girls." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, by Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010066253/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=ed45ee82.
Krock, Lexi. “Fertility Throughout Life.” Nova Online, PBS, Oct. 2001, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/fert_text.html#:~:text=Female%3A%20At%2020%20wee ks%2C%20a,six%20to%20seven%20million%20eggs.
Lowry, PJ et. al. “The Placenta Really Does Act like a Parasite, Reading Research Suggests.” Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Reading, 14 Nov. 2007, www.reading.ac.uk/news-archive/press-releases/pr9938.html#:~:text=The%20human%20 foetus%20and%20placenta,particular%20diverting%20blood%20and%20nutrients.
Markovic, Milan. “Vessels of Reproduction: Forced Pregnancy and the ICC.” Texas A&M Law, 2007, https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facschola163/
“Perineal Tears during Childbirth.” Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/tears/tears-childbirth/.
Postpartum Hemorrhage, Mar. 2020, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-hemorrhage.aspx.
“Raising the Alarm on Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage - UNFPA.” Girls Not Brides, 14 Nov. 2013, www.girlsnotbrides.org/unless-we-end-child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancies-will-remai n-an-everyday-occurrence-in-developing-countries-unfpa-report/.
"Roe v. Wade." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18. Ruse, Cathy, and Rob Schwarzwalder. “The Best Pro-Life Arguments for Secular Audiences.” Family Research Council , 2011, www.frc.org/brochure/the-best-pro-life-arguments-for-secular-audiences.
Smith, Kate. “A Pregnant 11-Year-Old Rape Victim in Ohio Would No Longer Be Allowed to Have an Abortion under New State Law.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 May 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill-pregnant-11-year-old-rape-victim-barred-abortion-after-new-ohio-abortion-bill-2019-05-13/.
Tobah, Yvonne Butler. “Can Vaginal Tears during Childbirth Be Prevented?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/expert-answers/preventin g-vaginal-tearing-during-childbirth/faq-20416226.
“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body Changes to Expect.” Legacy Community Health, 11 Dec. 2019, www.legacycommunityhealth.org/newsblog-what-permanent-post-pregnancy-body-chan ges-to-expect/.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Niamh Gray-Wilson. “Characteristics of Life.” CK-12, FlexBook Platform, 30 June 2013, www.ck12.org/biology/characteristics-of-life/lesson/characteristics-of-l ife-advanced-bio-adv/.
Zorn, Eric. “Column: Should 11-Year-Old Girls Have to Bear Their Rapists' Babies? Ohio Says Yes.” Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-abortion-rape-heartbeat-ohio-child-argentina-20190509-story.html.

Human rights should not be up for debate!

Abortion, or the termination of a pregnancy, is healthcare and a woman’s right. As no one can truly understand someone else’s situation, it is not their place to make decisions for that person. Life is a delicate thing; to bring another life into this world by force or coercion is wrong. Abortion should not be up for debate, difficult to obtain, or prohibited. To deny a woman this right or to try to regulate it with further laws is unconstitutional and unjust. 

January of 1973, women across America rejoiced as the Supreme Court made their decision on the historic Roe v Wade case. The case was filed against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas, Texas, by Norma McCorvey under the alias of Jane Roe after he attempted to ban abortion except in life-threatening conditions (“Roe v Wade”). When McCorvey filed the lawsuit, she “alleged that the state laws were unconstitutionally vague and abridged her right of personal privacy, protected by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments” (“Roe v Wade”). Three years after the lawsuit was filed, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of Roe (“Roe v Wade”). A new clause was then added under the 14th Amendment which made it illegal for states to regulate abortions throughout the first trimester, but allowed states to make their own decisions on abortions done later on in the pregnancy as long as they had the health of the woman in mind (“Roe V Wade”). Although this case was decided nearly 50 years ago by the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists are fighting to appeal it.
Three years ago, a bill was proposed in Ohio that, if signed, would “[consider an abortion of an “unborn human”] a person under state criminal homicide statutes (The Editorial Board). Furthermore, if a fetus is now viewed as an “unborn human,” the woman who aborted the fetus could be charged with murder. The scary thing about this is that murder is punishable by life in prison or even death in in Ohio (The Editorial Board). According to Brigitte Amiri, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, “the Ohio bill is ‘blatantly unconstitutional’” (The Board Editorial). On the other hand, a fetus could not be considered a living thing to begin with because they do not follow all seven characteristics of life.
To be recognized as a living thing, you must respond to your environment, grow and change, be capable of reproduction, have complex chemistry, maintain homeostasis, be composed of cells, and be able to pass your traits onto potential offspring (Wilkin and Gray-Wilson). Yet, a fetus does not have all of these characteristics. It is not until ten weeks into the pregnancy that a male fetus has fully developed sex organs, and it is not until twenty for a female fetus to have hers - complete with six to seven million eggs (Krock). Besides, the fetus’ brain is not fully developed until thirty-three weeks, and its lungs are not fully developed until thirty-six (Aodha). That is not to say that premature babies do not survive, though; the majority of them do.
In the grand scheme of things, actually, a fetus can even go so far as to be labelled as a parasite. Think about it; it leeches off her body by diverting her blood and nutrients, avoids rejection, and influences her metabolism for its own benefit (Lowry). The placenta even has a covering around it composed of molecules called phosphocholine which disguise the placenta, thus making it invisible to the host (Lowry). Using this logic, the fetus can be viewed and classified as a parasite - especially in cases when the mother does not want to have the child or if the woman suffers from tokophobia; the pathological, morbid fear of pregnancy.
It is wrong to prevent women from obtaining abortions in situations where they are forcibly impregnated by birth coercion or by rape, as well. In 2019, an eleven year old was raped multiple times by a 26 year old, leaving her pregnant and unable to obtain an abortion because of a new heartbeat bill (Smith). This bill did not give any exceptions to anyone, regardless of if they were raped or carrying a product of incest. Even if they did give exceptions in these cases, that would mean a woman must be violated before she can have the rights over her own body.
In a news article, it is stated that over 4,000 women were raped in Ohio throughout 2017 according to the FBI (Smith). By passing this new law, women can not abort a fetus after the six week mark because the fetus has a heartbeat. The bill in question is unconstitutional as it goes against Roe v Wade, which prevents states from restricting abortion before the second trimester.
The previously mentioned eleven year old girl ended up being forced to carry the pregnancy to term, and was victim-blamed by a pregnancy care worker who said that she was, quote, “rebellious [and] refuses to listen to her mother and runs away from home all the time” (Smith). This is, of course, not a justifiable excuse as to why she was raped. There is never an excuse for rape. Her only justice was the arrest of Juan Leon-Gomez, the man who raped her. Ohio is not the only state to pass the heartbeat bill, however. Five other states had already decided to do the same, including Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia (Campoy and Merelli). Hundreds of thousands of women are now trapped by the law, unable to abort regardless of the circumstances. The government was looking for a reform, but this is not the kind of reform women were looking for. Having access to family planning saves more lives than it takes.
In Argentina, two young girls at the ages of eleven and twelve were raped by men in their 60s (Zorn). Both of these girls were forced to carry their pregnancies to term, and both received c-sections around six months into the pregnancy (Zorn). Neither of the babies survived. Eric Zorn, the author of the article about this tragedy, further elaborates on the situation:
The case of the 11-year-old girl, known in the press by the pseudonym “Lucia,” was particularly disturbing. She discovered she was pregnant by her grandmother’s boyfriend at 17 weeks, according to the Guardian, and even though the law allowed her get an abortion as a rape victim, government, health and religious officials along with anti-abortion activists in her home province strove to delay her family’s request for an abortion until the fetus was deemed viable and it was too late for an abortion. Hospital nurses reportedly gave Lucia steroid shots to help the fetus’ lungs mature but told her they were vitamin shots, while lawyers swamped the family with paperwork (Zorn).
The basis of this is undoubtedly disgusting. Stripping young girls and women of their rights to bodily autonomy results in them having less rights than a corpse. Anti-abortionists have even gone so far as to spread false information about contraceptives, claiming that Plan B-type pills are an abortive (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). This is completely false, as abortive pills can induce an abortion within the first nine weeks, while Plan B-type pills can be used only within 72 hours of unprotected sex (The Difference). Once again, contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel or progestin simply prevent ovulation, thus preventing an egg from ever being fertilized. Abortive pills medically induce an abortion after conception.
An article from Gale describes abortive pills as an alternative to surgical abortion, which is a series of two pills. One contains mifepristone, and the other contains misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks an essential hormone for pregnancy, called progesterone (“Abortion”). Two days later, the second pill is taken to contract the uterus and expel the embryo (“Abortion”). If a woman happens to change her mind before taking the misoprostol pill, it is not possible. According to a study done by the University of California in 2019, attempting to counter the effects of mifepristone with progesterone could lead to severe vaginal bleeding (“Abortion’). In conclusion, medically induced abortion is not to be confused with emergency contraception, as a medically induced abortion is effective for nine weeks, whereas emergency contraception only works up to three days after unprotected sex.
Many anti-abortionists are blinded by the existence of life. They see the removal of an embryo as a sin, proposing the rhetorical question as to why assisted suicide is illegal but abortion is not. They frenziedly ask, “what if that baby could have found the cure for cancer?” or “what if that baby could have been the next Mother Theresa?” Never do they ask themselves where the woman would be if she had not been forced to bring a child into this world. That woman could have cured cancer, too, but she lost the chance when she had to give up her life to take care of an unwanted child. To bring religion into the mix throws off the balance of what is constitutional and what is not.
We, as a country, were founded on the basis of freedom of religion; we came here to escape religious persecution. Laws and restrictions based on religious beliefs are unconstitutional and morally wrong, as one should never enforce their beliefs on others by taking legal action. Influencing someone’s opinion, however, is morally wrong the second false information is brought into the discussion. Anti-abortionists seem to throw all logical reasoning out the window by ignoring scientifical facts and jumping straight to labelling women who obtain abortions as “murderers.” They are not “pro-life,” as they call themselves. They are anti-women.
In an article previously mentioned, written by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, it is claimed that the Supreme Court ruling of abortions within the first trimester is false. They claimed that “the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade did not create a limited right to abortion but a virtually unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy” (Ruse and Schwarzwalder). Throughout their article, they commonly use quotation marks around terms to twist the mood of the sentence to their liking. When they acknowledge that the Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in all factors, including emotional, they later highlight that by painting it in a negative light.
Abortion is an emotional subject, which even more so strengthens the argument as to why abortion is only the woman involved’s decision. Teenage pregnancy is also a huge part of the abortion argument. Accidents can happen, contraceptive methods could fail, or the pregnancy could be caused from rape. Teenage girls need easier access to abortion, without the requirement to notify their parents. The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy says that, quote, “minors have a right to privacy” (The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy). This implies the right to a discretionary abortion.
Parental involvement in teenage abortions and pregnacy is humilating and potentially harmful, as not everyone’s parents are accepting and understanding. To vouch for mandatory parental consent is detrimental to the safety of the girl. An article written by Francie Diep acknowledges the experiences of a few girls, one of them belonging to a girl named Sandra, saying that she “feared her father would kick her out, or worse [if he found out she was pregnant]” (Diep). Another girl, Vanessa, feared humiliation due to her parents’ religious beliefs (Diep). The third girl, Jacqueline, feared her father would disown her if he found out (Diep).
Teenagers who face a judge in the process of trying to get an abortion feel that the judges disregard their plea and focus more on their parents. Diep emphasizes this with Jacqueline’s story, restating how Jacqueline felt overlooked when she stood before a judge to prove that she was mature enough to have an abortion (Diep). Imagine being a teenager and having to stand before a judge to prove you are mature enough to abort. If you are not found mature enough in their eyes to have an abortion, you will be forced to haven a child. In other words, you would be mature enough to raise an entire, living person, but you would not be mature enough to live your life the way you want.
Girls are not being taken seriously by courts despite how hard they try to make themselves understood. If they are mature enough to hold down a “prestigious internship” like Jacqueline, then they are mature enough to make their own decisions (Diep). Withholding the right for a young woman to get an abortion because her parents refuse to consent for one is an incredibly damaging, backwards way of thinking.
The opposite side of the argument, however, believes otherwise for fear of the girls’ safety. Statistically, many young women in California are lured into sexual relationships with pedophiles, whether they want to admit it or not (Jasper). The worst part is these men usually escape criminal charges of statutory rape. Many of them can easily take their girlfriend to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion without consent from the girl’s parents (Jasper). This is because Planned Parenthood is not legally required to contact authorities or the minor’s parents if a minor schedules an appointment for an abortion since all patient information is confidential (Jasper). Thus, any evidence of their criminal act can be swept under the rug and they can get away with it.
Furthermore, most states require parental consent for a teenager to get a tattoo or a piercing, and both schools and hospitals require permission to give a minor aspirin (Jasper). People with this mindset believe that without parental consent, the young woman could be subject to danger or even trauma. They seem to be missing the point, though. Tattoos and piercings are not life-changing, but the birth of an unwanted child is; pregnancy permanently changes a woman’s body. Pregnancy can result in larger feet, melasma, abdominal separation, loss of bladder control, and even tooth loss (“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body”). With this in mind, it should not be the parents’ decision to let their daughter abort, even if they plan on putting the child up for adoption after its birth. Putting your daughter in harm’s way by forcing her through an unwanted pregnancy is not a way to keep your daughter safe.
While the young woman could be subject to danger or trauma by an abortion, she could very well be subject to both of those things without an abortion. Pregnancy can be extremely traumatic for some women, and it is nearly unimaginable how traumatic it must be to force a teenage girl to carry her pregnancy to term. In countries such as Africa and India, many girls find themselves subject to child marriages. According to an article from Girls Not Brides, over seven million girls under the age of 18 - including two million girls under the age of 14 - give birth in third-world countries (“Raising the Alarm”). The article further explains that about 90% of these births happen within marriage (“Raising the Alarm”). They have no say in their marriages and pregnancies, and they have little to no access to education (“Raising the Alarm”). These girls are left to helplessly take care of their children regardless of how they feel about the situation. One girl affected by this, Kamal, said that when no one was home she would read her old textbooks and cry (“Raising the Alarm”). Another girl, Kanas, said that she cannot even remember when was married off to her husband because she was so young at the time (“Raising the Alarm”).
While these cases mostly happen outside of the U.S., our country is no stranger to the darker sides of childbirth. In fact, our country is one of the few that actually has a rising mortality rate of women during childbirth. Dr. Donna L. Hoyert states on CDC’s website that “in 2019, 754 women were identified as having died of maternal causes in the United States, compared with 658 in 2018” (Hoyert). That, she further explains, means that there are about 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births (Hoyert). With mortality rates rising rather than falling, it would be ignorant to say that childbirth does not pose that large of a threat. Excusing the threat of dying on the hospital bed, women nearly always rip open during childbirth. An article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explicitly says that about “[nine out of ten] first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy (“Perineal Tears During Childbirth). That could mean ripping open from your vagina to your anus, from your vagina to your clitorus, or even from your vagina to your thigh. Doctor Yvonne Butler Tobah says in an article from the Mayo Clinic that while there are several things a woman could do to lower the chances of vaginal tearing, there is actually no guarantee that they could prevent it (Tobah). Wounds heal and pain fades, but memories always remain.
There is also the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth or postpartum. As mentioned on the March of Dimes website, “women usually lose about half a quart of blood during vaginal birth or about one quart after a cesarean birth” (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). A woman could also experience uterine atony, inversion, or rupture (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). There are a million other things that could possibly go wrong besides hemorrhaging; women could contract sepsis, ICP, or DIC (“Postpartum Hemorrhage”). In other words, childbirth may be natural, but that does not mean that it is particularly safe.
Sex education is extremely important and should be taught to all children in an age-appropriate manner before they reach puberty. Improper sex education is the cause of most teenage pregnancy, and can result in misinformation regarding the use of contraceptives. To prevent teenage pregnancy and abortion, sex education must be properly taught so kids understand the cause of their actions. However, it should be completely up to the girl on whether or not she wishes to abort if an accident happens because she will always be her own first priority.
Unfortunately, SCOTUS is looking to either overturn or completely scrap Roe v Wade by 2022. Ridding women of the right to choose will put many lives in danger, and will cause more harm than good. Overturning Roe v Wade would be unconstitutional because it would blatantly counteract the Due Process Clause 14th Amendment, which requires that individuals be treated fairly under the law (“Due Process Clause). If women are no longer given the rights over their own body, all of our rights are in jeopardy because the Due Process Clause would be rendered useless. This is the reality we face if abortion is made illegal.

Abortion should not be up for debate or challenged by politicians and lawmakers because it involves no one but the women affected. No one should have the right to restrict access to abortion, or the right to prohibit obtaining it. Women should have the right to choose regardless of the circumstances, which means their rights should not be limited to certain aspects such as rape or incest. Further, women are not walking wombs or living incubators for the unborn. We are human. It is unconstitutional and morally corrupt to put your personal beliefs before someone else’s own life, even if you think it means that another life may be lost. Life is a fragile thing, but the loss of one may save another. That is why abortion should not be debated or argued against. 

Works Cited
"Abortion." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999336/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=163555a9 .
“Abortion is Healthcare.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/abortion-is-healthcare
Aodha, Gráinne Ní. “Pregnancy Timeline: When Does the Heart, Brain, and Face Form?” TheJournal.ie, 8 May 2018, https://www.thejournal.ie/pregnancy-timeline-3979399-May2018/#:~:text=From%20week%2033%20the%20baby,ready%20for%20breathing%20after%20birth.
Campoy, Ana, and Annalisa Merelli. “These Are All the States That Have Adopted Anti-Abortion Laws so Far in 2019.” Quartz, Quartz, 30 May 2019, qz.com/1627412/these-are-all-the-states-with-anti-abortion-laws-signed-in-2019/.
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. "Teenagers Seeking Contraception Should Not Be Required to Notify Their Parents." Teens at Risk, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010167251/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=7d2df3df.
Diep, Francie. "Parental Involvement Laws Can Impose Harmful Burdens on Pregnant Minors." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.c om/apps/doc/PRQDJD938454735/OVIC?u=aubu72351 &sid= O VIC&xid=9ce75191.
“The Difference Between the Morning-After Pill and the Abortion Pill.” Planned Parenthood, Apr. 2016, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3914/6012/8466/Difference_Between_the_Morning-A fter_Pill_and_the_Abortion_Pill.pdf.
“Due Process Clause, Equal Protection Clause and Disenfranchising Felons.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/due-process-equal-protectio n-and-disenfranchisement/.
The Editorial Board. "Ohio's Unconstitutional Abortion Bill." New York Times, 26 Mar. 2018, p. A22(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532226420/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=57f92b8b.
Hoyert, Donna L. “Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2019.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality-2021/maternal-mortality-2021.h tm.
Jasper, William F. "Not Requiring Parental Consent for Abortion Endangers Teenage Girls." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, by Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010066253/OVIC?u=aubu72351&sid=OVIC&xid=ed45ee82.
Krock, Lexi. “Fertility Throughout Life.” Nova Online, PBS, Oct. 2001, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/fert_text.html#:~:text=Female%3A%20At%2020%20wee ks%2C%20a,six%20to%20seven%20million%20eggs.
Lowry, PJ et. al. “The Placenta Really Does Act like a Parasite, Reading Research Suggests.” Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, University of Reading, 14 Nov. 2007, www.reading.ac.uk/news-archive/press-releases/pr9938.html#:~:text=The%20human%20 foetus%20and%20placenta,particular%20diverting%20blood%20and%20nutrients.
Markovic, Milan. “Vessels of Reproduction: Forced Pregnancy and the ICC.” Texas A&M Law, 2007, https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facschola163/
“Perineal Tears during Childbirth.” Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/tears/tears-childbirth/.
Postpartum Hemorrhage, Mar. 2020, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-hemorrhage.aspx.
“Raising the Alarm on Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage - UNFPA.” Girls Not Brides, 14 Nov. 2013, www.girlsnotbrides.org/unless-we-end-child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancies-will-remai n-an-everyday-occurrence-in-developing-countries-unfpa-report/.
"Roe v. Wade." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18. Ruse, Cathy, and Rob Schwarzwalder. “The Best Pro-Life Arguments for Secular Audiences.” Family Research Council , 2011, www.frc.org/brochure/the-best-pro-life-arguments-for-secular-audiences.
Smith, Kate. “A Pregnant 11-Year-Old Rape Victim in Ohio Would No Longer Be Allowed to Have an Abortion under New State Law.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 May 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill-pregnant-11-year-old-rape-victim-barred-abortion-after-new-ohio-abortion-bill-2019-05-13/.
Tobah, Yvonne Butler. “Can Vaginal Tears during Childbirth Be Prevented?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/expert-answers/preventin g-vaginal-tearing-during-childbirth/faq-20416226.
“What Permanent Post-Pregnancy Body Changes to Expect.” Legacy Community Health, 11 Dec. 2019, www.legacycommunityhealth.org/newsblog-what-permanent-post-pregnancy-body-chan ges-to-expect/.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Niamh Gray-Wilson. “Characteristics of Life.” CK-12, FlexBook Platform, 30 June 2013, www.ck12.org/biology/characteristics-of-life/lesson/characteristics-of-l ife-advanced-bio-adv/.
Zorn, Eric. “Column: Should 11-Year-Old Girls Have to Bear Their Rapists' Babies? Ohio Says Yes.” Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-abortion-rape-heartbeat-ohio-child-argentina-20190509-story.html.

Kenny Johnsons wife Cathleen Oveson appeared in episode Season 6 , Spanish Practises.
Kurt Sutter the writers wife Katey Sagal appeared in episode Grave and Exiled.
Michael Chiklis daughter Autumn Chiklis appeared in the most of the series small time.
David Rees Snell wife also appeared in episodes Spread,Circles, Greenlit, Scar Tissue, Bottom Bitch , Ain't That a Shame, Kavanaugh. Also appears in rest of the series. ( Credited as officer Paula, appeared just as uniform in Season 1 episode 3.)
The creator Shawn Ryan's wife as we already know Cathy Ryan who played Corrine Mackey on the show.
Catherine Dent's husband was part of the directors team Ronn Schmidt and also appeared as a blind date in Season 1 Pilot episode.
Jay Karnes real life wife Julia Campell appears in Family Meeting episode.
​

Jared Sagal of Rockerrazzi Filmz is helping bands and other artists earn bitcoins through the video streaming platform WatchMyBit.com.
Like a few others, WatchMyBit believes it will be Hollywood and the music business that causes the next wave of Bitcoin adoption.
If you share this belief (and even if you don’t!) please watch some of Rockerrazzi’s videos like The Offspring, Dead Sara, Galvanized Souls and other bands at www.WatchMyBit.com. His videos are currently just 25 cents in btc!
Speaking of Galvanized Souls, not only are they featured in the WatchMyBit marketing video, but they are among a handful of bands to release a virtual reality video, and are the FIRST band to release a live action, cinematic, VR music video.
From the band’s press release:
“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Somis, California, August 7, 2015:
Independent alternative rock band, Galvanized Souls, become pioneers in the world of Virtual Reality and music. The band produced one of the first cinematic narrative Virtual Reality music videos for its latest high energy rocking single “New Generation.”
Galvanized Souls recognize the changing landscape of the music and entertainment industry and fully embrace the opportunity to create a truly intimate, exhilarating and immersive experience for the music listener.
The video is a non-stop action packed adventure that showcases the cinematic Virtual Reality experience like none other. The immersed viewer will feel like they are in the middle of the action with the entire band.
The creative partners for Galvanized Souls include the visionary VR and immersive storytelling entertainment production company, Springbok Entertainment, Oscar winning and Virtual Reality trailblazing 21st century creative studio, New Deal Studios, and the digital imaging company, Immersive Media, specialists in spherical immersive video. … Galvanized Souls and this all-star team hope to inspire musicians and content creators to take advantage of the Virtual Reality platform delivering new and exciting experiences to people all over the world. ….”
AND, I’d like to add that they are also experimenting with Bitcoin and the WatchMyBit platform!
WMB is very excited about the Content Creators that are now using our platform, and the many more to come!
Rockerrazzi Flimz is an entertainment and production company based in Beverly Hills, California. Founded in 2008 by Jared Sagal and Cathy Sagal, the company has several divisions, handling record production, film production, management, and advertising. Rockerrazzi.com has interviewed artists such as Nikki Sixx, Mumford and Sons, Imagine Dragons and Dave Grohl, while Rockerrazzi Filmz has released music videos and online material for artists such as Imagine Dragons, Dead Sara, Offspring, and Kwanza Jones. The band Galvanized Souls is currently signed to Rockerrazzi Records for music publishing, production, and management. As of 2014, Jared Sagal was working on a documentary on Dead Sara, and his rockumentary Deportes about The Last Internationale is slotted to debut at Sundance Film Festival in 2015.