Short Response to 11/9 Readings

As Maria mentioned, these readings also made me think about my own stance on abortion. Personally I am also pro-choice; however I believe it is a hard decision to make before actually being put in the position of being pregnant with an un-wanted child. All of the readings, however, emphasized at least to some extent how much it is really a WOMAN'S issue and not a man's. I believe that way too much attention has been given to men's rights and beliefs on the issue and not enough has surrounded women's opinions. How can we say that we have really gained equality as women when men are still making the decisions about what we can and cannot do to our own bodies? Right before I read tomorrow's assignment, I read a very interesting article in the NYTimes that briefly discusses how the Republican party's recent takeover of power in the house will likely lead to the challenging of many current issues including the legality and access to abortion. The fact that abortion is even a partisan debate proves that women do not have enough control over it. The recent elections saw a decline in women in political positions and therefore even more men are being given the power to control our right to choose. As Arcana describes in her article titled "Abortion Is a Motherhood Issue", the decision whether or not to abort a "fetus" (or "child", depending on the context) is strictly an issue up to the mother. Although Roe v. Wade did determine a cut-off point as to how far along in the pregnancy an abortion is legal, which I agree is necessary; however a woman's right to choose in the first trimester should be up to her and her alone, not the men who have been elected into government positions of power.