My thoughts on abortion are I would say I am in between meaning I am a  supporter and not a supporter of abortion. I do think that abortion is murder because well it’s a blessing for some and maybe for some not. Looking at how many women had miscarriages and some that can’t have babies and wish maybe they were those mothers who were planning to have a baby but ended up not wanting it. What I mean is instead of having to abort a baby, why not just give the baby to a family that is trying to have a baby but can’t because of some difficulties they are going through. Then again I think about it and you know a reason why a female would want to get an abortion is that maybe they were sexually harassed and don’t have any emotions for the baby because they will show some anger towards the baby or something. See what’s happening in today’s society the supreme court is planning to overturn abortion rights. If abortion was taken away from woman’s rights it will be a huge problem and I can imagine there being even bigger groups of protesters fighting to get back the rights that were being taken away. See a woman is more than welcome to do whatever they decide to with their body. Is just something that we have to respect in my opinion.  I don’t know but I just have so many mixed emotions about this topic.  

The readings and videos involved in this week’s assignment were informative and above all eye opening. I never truly knew about Roe v. Wade nor did I know that people had such strong feelings about abortion and being anti-abortion. The feeling I felt most when reading the articles and watching the videos was anger; angry at the idea that abortion has to be either a choice for women to have or not. Why is that even a possibility? Why is that even a thought? Why do we make that so important throughout history and following us into current society? A part of me will never understand why we make certain laws for specific things or topics. The Hyde Amendment was disappointing to me as well as the 13 minute documentary based around women trying to get funding for abortions, the idea that this amendment blocks federal funding for abortions making it harder for women to get funding and even more a challenge to find areas where their insurance like Medicaid can get accepted is frustrating to me. I feel as though, people in power make these amendments or these laws to create obstacles for women in order to make it ten times more harder to get abortions or get the funding they need to have an abortion. Throughout the 13 minute documentary, each woman that called trying to receive funding to get an abortion had their own stories they each had a lot going on; a lot of them already had children and have just recently lost their jobs and have no support from their friends, family, or former partners. It made me reflect on the privileges I have living in New York City where funding isn’t a problem it is just given to you no questions asked along with any other services you may need like STD/STI testing, birth control, regular check-ups, and so much more. 

I’m glad the topic of reproductive rights was brought up this week, because I was able to catch up on everything that was going on. I didn’t know about the details of the leaked decision, neither did I know about the Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funding for abortions. This means people who rely on Medicaid would have to search for other ways to fund their abortion, which in many cases is impossible. Watching the short movie “Abortion Helpline, This is Lisa,” which shows these cases, almost made me cry. I kept imagining myself in the place of everyone who called the Helpline, realizing that this can also happen to me and how precarious my life is. Not terminating pregnancy sometimes means not surviving after that, because you’re loosing your financial security. And sometime this means having one more person in this world with a traumatic childhood, growing up in extreme poverty and in many cases, not being able to get out of it. This traces back to what Rebecca Gomperts said in an interview: “when you keep people poor, you can control them.” It was a pleasure to read an interview with Gomperts because I watched the documentary Vessel, about her activity, for one of our assignments in this class.

I also didn’t know that abortion bans were implemented to benefit slave-holders and amplify their wealth. Considering what I just wrote about keeping people poor, one may see a really strong connection here, which feels terrifying. As if slavery has never gone away, but just changed its look.

I’m really happy we covered this topic this week. It’s hard to see the government pushing for this, and it’s definitely concerning to think about what is to come. Banning abortion affects so much more than many people think it does. If abortion is banned, it won’t stop abortions overall. It would simply stop safe abortions. People will still attempt to get an abortion from a variety of different means, putting their lives at risk. It is unfair and cruel to expect everyone to be okay with their autonomy being stripped away. Rebecca Gomperts is an incredibly respectable person, and I hope that many more people and even our own government will learn from her actions.

When I learned about the Roe v. Wade, it actually brought me back to a time when I had to make that painful decision and of course you know seeing your primary doctor they ask all these questions and tell you what to expect, but at the end of the day I knew it was my decision. I knew mentally I just wasn’t ready and didn’t want to bring a child into the world in that state. Yes, I did cry and felt my body going through the changes, but happy in a sense because I wasn’t forced into it. Alot of women get forced into having abortions and a lot just don’t have the baby because they are scared to do it alone. Roe v. Wade reshaped the nation’s political landscape and created the framework to govern regulations based on trimester of pregnancy. Women have the right to be protected, we go through enough and it’s no else’s right whether they bring another life into this world or not. Provide women with the proper medical care they need, give them resources. I appreciated this article because I never knew there was a law passed.

It was a bit touchy as far as topics were concerned. The verdict was something that I feel is just a small tip of the avalanche of things to come from our trusted government officials. Once again sorry for the bleak outlook . I feel that this issue is not a female issue it transcends that . Its a health issue , a privacy issue the worlds issue. There is going to be a huge rally and I hope that ever culture every gender is in that march. The ability to almost criminalize something that is a basic human right is incredible. The verdict of Roe vs wade if it doesn’t get overturned which it wont will force people to go underground to get what they need to get done. That plus it will increase the death rate of teens who don’t know what to do and or scared to go home and tell there parents about the situation they are faced with. The ban on abortions from the 1860 is something I was not aware of but then it makes perfect sense how things are coming full circle.

In this week’s reflection, we touch base on abortion rights. Growing up, we don’t hit maturity level until a certain age. Studies have shown maturity levels can stem from age 25-to 30. At a young age, hormones are raging, and some acts happen because of the desire to satisfy the urge. In our teen years, we are not fully mature and knowledgeable about what it entails if we get our partner pregnant. It’s a huge responsibility to raise a child because it’s up to you to show them the ropes and later unveil a more incredible person. Young teenagers typically don’t have a sense of direction; alone, they are not ready to raise a child. Accessing a safe place to terminate a pregnancy gives both partners the chance to change their lives. Many children are placed in the system because they feel incapable of caring for them.
There have to be more resources for males to protect themselves, for instance, a vasectomy. The fact is that women are the ones that have been sacrificing their bodies to bear children and also go through hormonal changes. Men have been taking a right to decide for women for years. Roe v. Wade landmark decision was placed to protect women from having the right to have an abortion. Now it’s being overturned because of Wisconsin’s pre-Roe ban abortion ban from 1849. The law said, “any person, other than the mother, who intentionally destroys the life of an unborn child is guilty of a Class H felony.” The right to choose what a woman wants to do with her body should be a choice that she only makes. It’s no one else’s body but hers.

I truly admire Rebecca Gompert’s efforts to provide abortion pills to those who need them. I think it’s ridiculous that she has to do that in the first place, but still, it’s heartwarming. These readings and the video just prove that women should be able to have abortions if they need one. After reading the readings, I started to look up which countries banned abortions. I was actually surprised to see that Jamaica was one of them. I was broken-hearted to see that my country was one of many that refused to give women the right to an abortion. I shouldn’t have been surprised, though. While the country is very beautiful, it has many faults, and its views on the LGBTQ and women are the biggest. I’ve seen everyone’s true colors since it was revealed that the case might be overturned. I’ve even unfollowed a few people after hearing them spew nasty things about women who choose to have abortions. 

Amidst this whole case, I fear for not only my future but for the next generation of young girls and women. This must be a frightening time for them. I think of all the young girls who were molested and would be forced to carry the baby full term. How is abortion a moral issue? Why should rape victims have to bear the children of their attackers? Why should a woman have a baby if she doesn’t want it? Why should women who suffer miscarriages have to get their past dug up? Doesn’t all of that sound immoral? As I was watching the video, I kept thinking there should be federal funds allocated to planned parenthood. I think this shouldn’t be a discussion.