I realized the other day that almost my entire life has been filled with arguments about abortion in the media, faith communities, and everywhere else. I was 13 when Roe V. Wade was passed, and I had never heard the word abortion before that. It wasn’t until I was serving a church in my mid-20s that I even knew anyone who had had one; at least, anyone who spoke of it. I have no doubt there were girls in my high school who had to make that heart-rending choice; too many men don’t even think about how life-changing it is, no matter which choice a pregnant girl or woman has to make. Too many people say they care about life, just not all the lives involved. Most people I have spoken to about this who vehemently oppose abortion are really pro-birth, not pro-life. After that, you are on your own.
Louisiana just passed a law that makes two abortion-inducing medications illegal without a prescription. They are now in the same category as Xanax and Valium and carry a prison sentence of up to 5-years. These medications are also used for miscarriages and ulcers, by the way. The bill was brought by Republican Sen. Thomas Pressly, who said his sister had the abortion pills put in her drink without consent by her husband while she was pregnant. Pressly maintains that without the bill—which also requires doctors to have a certain certification to prescribe the pills— “women and the unborn are more susceptible to predators.” One of the co-signers, in an interview with NPR, said that this is a way to protect women, and said that no pregnant women would be charged; this was only for those who provided the meds without a prescription. And while the story about Rep. Pressly’s sister is sad – and I hope she divorced the jerk – I think the proponents of this bill are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They may truly believe that they are protecting women, but I wonder if they asked any women first.
I struggle with this issue all the time, and I don’t know what the right answer is. I know that my children became real to me when I saw them on the ultrasound screen. I fell in love with them when I heard their heartbeat. I understand, though, that I was defining them based on my personal belief system. We thought of names and dreamed of their futures, but my understanding of life is different from other people’s understandings. I cannot imagine being pregnant against my will. I can’t imagine being ditched by the guy who impregnated me after promising me the world. I can’t imagine being told that my baby I planned for would die a painful death soon after birth and that my life might be in danger too. I can’t imagine being the victim of brutality that resulted in a pregnancy. Because I am a man. My life and future aren’t at stake here.
Too often, we make decisions for others based on what we think is right for them. Maybe we should have a national referendum where only women vote on the issue. Or do polls that only consider the opinions of those who are affected by it. I respect women and believe that they are as capable of choosing what is right for themselves as anyone else. This is all about patriarchy and control. It is about who has the power. Stop listening to the wolves pretending to be sheep. They may not have what’s best for you on their minds at all.
Prayer – We don’t really know, Holy God, the answers to all of life’s difficult questions. Guide us to do our best. Amen.
Today’s art is “Further than Ever” (2019) by Wang Ziling.