How is it that it is legal to purchase a gun which in a split second can take a life, than it is to preserve one's own by preventing an unwanted birth?
I realise my privilege as I write these thoughts from my laptop in my loving NZ home.
I realise that I could argue that these decisions don't affect me, but sisters I think we can all agree that the robbing of any womens rights, is an attack on us all.
Worse still, it's an attack from people who will never have to suffer the real consequences of their decision.
To think that victims of rape are now not only left with the physical and emotional harm, the trauma, the terror of that experience. They're also left with the fate of having to birth the child of their predator. Can you imagine having to go through an unwanted, unplanned pregnancy caused by rape, then to look at the face of that pure, innocent child and see your predators eyes? What do you think life holds for that pure, innocent child who was conceived in crime, violence and trauma, then born into a home where they are not wanted?
Imagine putting that child into a saturated adoption system, and living with the memory, because you were deprived of the choice to terminate the pregnancy which you never consented to in the first place. Sisters, I can not imagine, and I feel helpless with you.
In financial times such as these, it's not hard to imagine a household where the income can't stretch far enough to support another mouth to feed, but there is no safe, regulated alternative. Imagine the cost of childcare for those who do wish to fulfil their income and impact goals. Imagine how many more hours, how much more energy and effort these women will have to give to their cause, just to cover that cost.
What quality of life is that?
What is left for them and their relationships?
I believe we can all safely assume that no woman takes abortion lightly. We are aware of what it does to our bodies. Yet we are only so able to avoid pregnancy in a world where contraception is not 100% effective, therefore, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
When a woman is a victim of rape, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
When a child is conceived incestuously, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
When a household can't afford another mouth to feed, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
When a woman has a complications or an at risk pregnancy, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
If for what ever reason a woman decides she is not committed and able to give a child the safe, loving life they deserve, ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE.
This decision was not made for women, that's obvious. This decision was not made for babies. If it were, then those in power must be be labouring under the impression that being born unwanted, conceived in trauma, not being provided for or lovingly cared for, or worse, all of the above with health complications caused by incestuous DNA, is any quality of life.
I implore the powers that be to them to ask themselves, would you consciously choose this life for a child?
Do you realise that by making no safe, legal alternative available in these circumstances, you are doing exactly that?
Do you think ensuring this suffering for women and children is Godly?
I'm sure I speak or everyone when I say it sickens me that rape exists. It sickens me further that the justice system makes it so difficult for rapists to be caught and taken off the streets. It is unimaginable that the injustice doesn't end there.
I respect that this is a very sensitive topic. I hold space for the fact that there are a lot of strong and conflicting opinions about it. But I can't just passively sit in silence while women's lives are being forever changed, while babies will be born unwanted, and while men have more power to make decisions about womens bodies than women do.
Sisters, I stand with you.