Imagine being told you were not allowed to make a decision about your own body.  The argument whether abortion should be legal is an argument about a person’s right to make such a decision.  The pro-choice stance supports a women’s legal right to an elective abortion.  The pro-life stance opposes abortion and wants to ban it everywhere no matter the situation.  Many factors influence people’s views including religious beliefs, morals, and pressure from friends or family.  According to a survey given out to Dulaney students, 76.5% of students are pro-choice, 14.3% are pro-life, and 9.2% have no opinion.    

I think abortion should be legal in every state; especially in the cases of rape, not being financially or mentally stable, or just not being ready to care for a child.  I am pro-choice because everyone has different reasons for why they need or want an abortion.  What many do not understand about being pro-choice is that it means you support women and their right to choose even if you choose not to get an abortion yourself.  

Abortion is when a pregnancy is ended and does not result in the birth of a child.  There are two kinds of abortion: one which includes the abortion pill, and the surgical abortion which involves a quick and minor operation.  There will always be accidental pregnancies, but we could minimize the amount if women were provided with the correct forms of protection.  

While every surgical procedure comes with risks, abortion is one of the safest operations.  However, due to the limitations on abortions in certain states, a lot of women are forced to find less secure options.  Criminalizing abortion does not stop abortions, it only makes them less safe. Evidence is shown that abortion rates are higher in countries where there is limited access to contraception.  In contrast, abortion rates are lower where people, including adolescents, are informed about sexual education, have access to modern contraceptive methods and legal and safe abortions.

I believe it is unfair and unethical for a law to be made telling anyone what they can or cannot do with their body.  Whether a woman gets an abortion should only be determined by what that woman thinks is best for her.  Throughout history, women have not been allowed to vote, go to school, or have a job. For most of history, men have been making decisions on women’s rights. 

In Texas, as of September 1st, following the Supreme Court’s decision, an abortion bill that Governor Greg Abbott signed into law has become effective.  The law, Senate Bill 8, bans most abortions after about six weeks which is before most women even know they are pregnant.  Not only are abortions illegal, but aiding anyone who is seeking an abortion including giving information about a clinic, providing transportation even if they do it unknowingly, and any citizen involved with the process can be sued.  

I strongly disagree with Senate Bill 8 (SB8) because it is not only unethical but it is not anatomically correct. This law requires doctors to check for cardiac activity in the embryo or fetus. Cardiac activity according to The New York Times is defined as “the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction.”  That includes the electrical activity in the developing cells that starts around six weeks even though there is no heart at that stage of development.  This further explains how unreasonable SB8 is and why it should be deemed unconstitutional.  

Most women do not know they are pregnant by the six week mark because the most common first sign of pregnancy is missing a period which is only two or fewer weeks before that mark.  Senate Bill 8 makes it almost impossible for women to legally get an abortion.  As of October 7th, 2021, a federal court has temporarily blocked SB8.  This is a step in the right direction, however, the fight is far from over.   

For too long, women’s rights, especially those surrounding their own body, have been a topic of debate and it’s time for it to end.