Abortion and Black Feminism

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Abortion and Black Feminism

Abortion is an issue which has been a subject of unending debate in the society over the years. Despite abortion being legal, the conservative has been opposed to the practice making it difficult for the women to access the services. Even with the question of legality seemingly being settled, there has been debate on those supporting and opposing the practice of abortion. Those in support of abortion practice argues that women should be allowed to access the services. They note that although abortion practice might have some controversies, women who conceive from any form of sexual abuse or those who get complications during pregnancy which endanger their lives and should be allowed to access abortion services. On the other hand, those opposed to abortion argue that abortion is immoral and unethical as it goes against religious teachings.

Abortion is such an emotive and controversial issue that touches on the rights of women’s reproductive rights. It is one of the most polarizing issues, especially where men and women in a marriage set up find themselves in a dilemma on whether pregnancy should be terminated. This raises moral and legal questions. Second, the issue is compelling to me because abortion touches on the private rights of women. The issue has been politicized with many people terming the women who procure abortion as selfish human beings who put their interest above those of the fetus. Therefore, there is a lot of stigma and hostility, which makes it difficult for women to discuss the issue of abortion openly. This distorts the public discussion around the issue of abortion. Therefore, to open the silence surrounding this social issue, there is a need to distinguish between the privacy around abortion and the right of women to control the non-disclosure of their private information. This is important because the privacy of abortion helps to control the harm on women as a result of the disclosure. From this discussion, I am inclined to argue that the laws should treat abortion as an acceptable medical decision that is reputable, moral, and not chosen by mistake.

Some people support the right of women to abortion, while others are opposed to the same. Those who support abortion argue that it should be permitted since it touches on women’s freedom and liberty (Sanger 21). Women have the right to decide on the issues that affect them. It is important to note that some of those opposed to abortion are men who are least affected by the whole issue. Those involved in the debate on abortion must acknowledge that this is an issue that mainly affects women; hence they should be left to make the decision but under some guidelines. Besides, the supporters of abortion argue that there are times when women need it dearly. There are times when women conceive from causes of sexual violence such as rape in such cases forcing women to keep the pregnancy from such cases might causes them psychological trauma. There are also cases where women might experience medical challenges making pregnancy threaten their lives. In such cases, they should be allowed to procure abortion safely. It is also important to note that abortion is connected to the right to privacy, which women are entitled to.

On the other hand, one of the arguments against abortion is based on ethical and moral issues in which the fetus is considered a person with rights. Thus, in this case, abortion is considered murder. The opponents of abortion argue that the fetus has human rights like any other human being, including the right not to be killed. The opponents say that apart from contraceptives, women have other options other than abortion. Instead of abortion, women can give birth and offer the child out for adoption. This would save not only the life of the child but also help the families who are unable to get a child. In this case, the woman would have turned a desperate situation to help a desperate family. They also cite the medical and psychological complications that one may develop as they seek to procure an abortion. Abortion is a risky procedure that may cause medical complications to women. It can also cause psychological distress to them. The guilty which is associated with abortion can cause depression. For instance, young women who seek abortion services to avoid parenting responsibility may develop guilt that would negatively impact their entire lives.

Abortion is considered a problem because it is tied to the issues of unwanted pregnancies in society. This means that there is a need to find a solution to the issue of unintended pregnancies in society if abortion as a problem is to be resolved. The proposals of abstinence and the use of birth control as the solution to the issue of unwanted pregnancy have failed in most societies. Therefore, abortion, in this case, is a problem because of the division it causes on the pro-choice and pro-life. This is because it touches on the women’s reproductive rights visa viz the rights of unborn children. The other reason why abortion is a problem is because of the moral divisions it causes. Abortion activism is pursued by the secular and religious organizations where each side presents its views. Abortion is a problem because it is an emotive and one of the most divisive issues in society.

There are different groups of people who have an interest in the issue of abortion. The first group of people who have an interest in abortion issues is the politicians. This is because abortion has been a hot topic in political campaigns. The liberals have always supported abortion, arguing that women should have the right to make decisions on their bodies. On the other hand, the conservatives have been opposed to abortion and have argued that there is a need to make it difficult for women to access abortion services. The religious leaders also have an interest in abortion as they say that it is unethical and immoral. The media is a stakeholder since through reporting about abortion, it shapes public opinion on the issue. Women are critical stakeholders because they are the ones who are mainly affected by the issue of abortion. Healthcare professionals have an interest in abortion issues because they are the ones who can safely conduct the process. The government, through its various branches, is a key stakeholder. The legislature has an interest because it can make laws prohibiting abortion or making it easy for women to access the services. The executive has an interest in the issue, especially in the implementation of the laws and policies on abortion.

References

Dobbins-Harris, S. (2017). The myth of abortion as Black genocide: Reclaiming our reproductive choice. Nat’l Black LJ, 26, 85.

Graff, A. (2020). Angry Women: Poland’s Black Protests as ‘Populist Feminism’. In Right-Wing Populism and Gender (pp. 231-250). transcript-Verlag.

Smith, B. (2018). Choosing ourselves: Black women and abortion (pp. 290-292). Routledge.