by Holly Gardner
Readers, I’ve heard the arguments over and over again. “Woman’s right to choose,” “My body, my choice.” Well sister, (in most cases) you’ve already made your choice: when you made your baby. And it’s not just your body, it’s that absolutely innocent one you’re carrying as well who apparently deserves no consideration in the matter, and no right to choices. But I’m sure you’ve all heard this before.
I have a new perspective I’d like to share with you. Let me tell you a story.
My father works for a big company, with different co-workers every week, all from vastly different backgrounds and from all over the world. My dad also is a talkative, curious, intelligent man, and often engages in “thinker” discussions with his co-workers.
One particular day, his fellow employee was a younger woman of mixed heritage (half black, half white.) Let’s call her “Jane.” My dad said Jane was one of the best he’s ever worked with. He also said she was super liberal. While getting ready for the day, the topic of abortion came up, and my dad decided to tell Jane about a recent experience he had with a male gay co-worker.
This particular man (Let’s call him “John”) believes in a “woman’s right to choose.” He also believes abortions should be readily available. No questions asked, and no mandated education offered before such abortion. “It’s her choice, and I respect that.” Basically, she shouldn’t have to explain herself, and she shouldn’t have to be shown her options. If she wants it, there it is.
My dad then asked him, “Remember that time you also told me about how you were absolutely certain in genetic pre-disposition toward homosexuality? That science will one day discover that gay gene?”
“Yes . . .” he replied.
“Well,” my dad continued. “How would you feel if the medical community came up with a genetic fetal test, and expectant parents can test whether or not their unborn child is pre-disposed to homosexuality, and then women all over the country ask for abortions on those innocent ‘gay’ babies?”
“That’s just wrong,” he replied, horrified. “There’s nothing wrong with that child.”
My dad just stared at him.
John paused, then said, “You set me up.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Well, honestly, I don’t know what to say.” John went on to admit that he had no idea how to reconcile his belief in a woman’s right to choose with his disgust at the idea of abortion because of genetic sexual pre-disposition. “Those parents would need to be educated on homosexuality. It’s not something to fear.”
My dad countered, “But you said no mandated education.”
A few weeks go by, and my dad runs into John in an airport terminal. “Hey! How are you?” he asks my dad with a handshake. “You know, I have to tell you something. My partner and I went on a vacation retreat with other liberal and gay couples. We’re all sitting around drinking coffee and I tell them about our conversation. The whole room was silent. None of us have an answer for you. Our beliefs can’t be reconciled.”
Back to the morning where my dad and Jane are preparing for their day. My dad finishes up his story about his conversations with John. She says how angry and horrified she is over the thought of abortions because of sexuality, and then adds her own anger at abortions over mixed-ethnic parentage. “It is offensive,” she practically spits out. She also admits that her belief in a woman’s right to choose, no questions asked, cannot be reconciled with this thought.
“Abortions because of sexuality? Because of a probable color of the babies skin? There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
“What about the sweet babies aborted because of genetic disorders such as down syndrome or trisomy 18? There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
“What about babies aborted because of their gender?There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
“What about babies aborted because of fear of social stigma or family backlash? Because of lack of money or support? What about babies aborted because their mother is scared, and abortion is an abstract solution in a mind that doesn’t want to know how it actually happens?There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
“What about babies aborted because of a woman’s desire to keep her body the way it is, or for no other reason than convenience? There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
There was also nothing wrong with the millions of babies that have been aborted already.
So when do our unborn children get the protection they deserve? When do our expectant mothers get the educational resources they need? When do our pre-teens and teenagers get the sexual education that includes how their young brains work and hormones and reactions (and those of their partners!) so they can make better choices “in the heat of the moment?” So they can choose to avoid “the heat of the moment” all together? So abstinence suddenly makes much more sense to them? Absolutely there are cases of rape, incest, and abuse which do indeed take these choices away from women. I’m not here saying there isn’t.
Readers, why can’t the sympathy and outrage for Cecil the Lion’s murder apply to murdered and dismembered unborn children?
“There’s nothing wrong with that child,” he said.
“It is offensive,” she said.
Just a thought.