Pro-BIRTH not Pro-LIFE
I’ve always thought that it is so strange that the two opposing terms are “pro-life” and “pro-choice”, basically insinuating that if you aren’t pro-life then you are automatically in favour of death. This is absolutely absurd, because the whole premise of being pro-choice is that it is your body, your choice, and no one can dictate to anyone else what they choose to do with it. I’ve also always thought that it’s so strange that abortion and contraception are such big deals in this country. Church is meant to be separate from State, no? So why is the government so intent on regulating who is allowed access to contraception, the legality of abortion, and how teens are educated on the practices of safe sex?
My main issue with the words “pro-life” is that they are in no shape or form accurate. All that the movement stands for is making abortion illegal, without even thinking of the consequences. Throwing around horror stories and pictures of dead children (usually photoshopped or taken from war photography archives), and condemning women who are making a very tough decision in their lives. All the pro-life movement stands for is forcing every woman to birth a child that is conceived in her body, no matter how the conception happened, what her situation is, and what she actually wants. The pro-life movement lasts from conception until birth and then POOF seems to withdraw any support that it may have given. That’s not pro-LIFE. That’s pro-BIRTH.
So if you are going to call yourself pro-LIFE without being a blatant hypocrite then you should also be for the following:
- Making sure that ALL women benefit from exceptional prenatal and post-natal care. Currently the maternal death rate has risen drastically in the US (triple the rate in Canada). Care should be affordable and available to all, no matter the background.
- Making sure that ALL women receive paid maternity leave for at least 6 months, as well as proper follow-up in regards to postpartum depression.
- Making sure that ALL children in foster care and orphanages receive love, education, a stable upbringing and that all their needs are always looked out for.
- Making sure that childcare is affordable and available everywhere, and that childcare providers are trained correctly and paid correctly. This should be subsidized by the government who is so intent on making sure that women cannot access contraception or abortion services.
- Making sure that NO child ever goes hungry, EVER.
- Making sure that NO child ever suffers from abuse, EVER.
- Making sure that children fleeing from war torn countries as refugees are accepted with open arms, and cared for.
- Making sure that ALL children benefit from free and equal healthcare, even those who have pre-existing conditions. For example, congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect today, with one in 100 children being born with one. This means that AT LEAST one in 100 children in the US has a pre-existing condition. Healthcare should be universal and equal.
- Making sure that ALL children grow up in an environment free of violence, guns, racism, bigotry, hatred and bullying. ALL children should be given the same start in life.
- Making sure that ALL rape victims receive the proper care, therapy and help that they need. And that rapists receive the right punishment for their crime, even if they are white and rich (actually especially if they are white and rich).
- Helping ALL children in need, no matter where they come from, the colour of their skin, their heritage, their religion, and their practices, no matter anything. ALL humans are equal.
- (I’m sure there are many more, feel free to add to the list).
Life doesn’t end at birth, it is where it BEGINS. THIS is what a so-called “pro-life” movement should be about. In the meantime, I will continue to fight for every woman’s right to have the CHOICE of what she does with her uterus. Whether it be have many children, never have children, have one, use contraception, not use contraception, have an abortion, not have an abortion, never have sex, have sex whenever she wants, and so on. This is none of MY business, and it should be none of YOURS. If you say you are pro-life, then act like it. Because if it is only about controlling women and their uteruses and doesn’t extend beyond that, then you are pro-BIRTH, not pro-LIFE.
We are heading back into the Dark Ages pretty rapidly, so I ask you to continue to fight for what matters to us all as humans. How can we be the advocates of the “free world” when we are squashing liberties left, right and centre around us?