Coathangers and Dark Alleys

I am against abortion.

I believe life begins at conception, although there is enough of a gray area that I will not tell another woman not to use hormonal contraception, even though it works by preventing implantation.

I believe that ending a pregnancy once is has begun is killing a child. No two ways about it.

Today I saw a picture of a woman holding a coat hanger in front of her belly button, with the words “Never go back”. The person who made this image is threatening that babies will be killed, and if the cannot legally kill babies in hospitals, here’s the murder weapon. That is so painful to me, it turns my stomach.

Adoption is always an option. Babies who are given to adoptive parents as soon as they are born NEVER have to spend time in foster care, because many families want to adopt a newborn.

I care about every life. I care about the mother who medically cannot carry the baby to term because she will die before the baby can survive outside of her. In that case, one life must be ended to save another, lest by inaction they both die. She shouldn’t have to have a coat hanger abortion, because a doctor should save her life.

I care about the woman who chooses to abort under a lot of pressure from many sides, because she lives in a country where it could cost her job and then thousands of dollars just to carry the child to term (I’m looking at you, United States). She shouldn’t have to have a coat hanger abortion, because paid maternity leave and free healthcare should be available to her.

I care about the teenager who was raped and ended up pregnant. While I cannot imagine the pain she must feel, I also care about the baby growing inside of her. She shouldn’t have to have a coat hanger abortion, because her community should support her with love and with proper counselling, and as soon as the baby is born, adoptive parents should be there to provide a stable, safe, loving home for the child.

I care about the woman with no sex ed and no access to contraception (I’m still looking at you, United States. Some parts, anyway), who did not realize that she could get pregnant that way. She shouldn’t have to have a coat hanger abortion, because both of those things should have been provided in the first place.

So tell me, who is it that has to have a coat hanger abortion?