This story was originally published in the GenZeal feature of LNP on Sunday, December 17, 2023.
By Jeancelyn Almonte ’24
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade — which, since 1973, had generally protected the right to have an abortion — with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This ruling is already leading to severe consequences for women, particularly in certain states.
For one thing, many women who get abortions do so because they are not in the proper health condition to safely carry a child to term. Even if a woman can physically bear children, mental health is still part of overall health, so if a woman’s mental health is an issue, she should not be obligated to give birth to a child.
Chronic mental or physical illness on the part of the mother or child can play a major role in the well-being of a child. Children could be forced to live with a health issue that presents serious and ongoing challenges.
The 2022 ruling also opens the possibility that children themselves will be forced to give birth to children. Unfortunately, girls as young as 10 years old can get pregnant.
Think of a 10-year-old child that you know. Are they in any position emotionally or physically to care for a child? Of course not! Children of that age, especially if they have been a victim of rape, should not be forced to carry a child to term.
Meanwhile, some adult victims of rape might not want to carry the child to term. One concern is that they could come to resent the child.
In a 2022 column for The Harvard Crimson student newspaper, Kelish M. Williams wrote, “I would not want to be the source of my mother’s continued grief. I would not want to experience my mother’s residual psychological damage from being forced to carry me after being sexually assaulted.”
Or it could simply be the case that some women are not at a place in their lives where they want to have children. My mother had me when she was 22. My best friend’s mom had her at the same age, and my aunt had my cousin at 23.
All of these women were mature and at a point where they were able and ready to have children. However, I know many 22-year-olds who are not ready to be mothers and that’s OK.
Another concern is that those who are denied legal abortions could attempt or seek out other — and extremely unsafe — methods of abortion.
Of course there is always the situation where a couple decides to just mess around, and in that case most people say, “Be more responsible.” While I do agree they should have been smarter, I do not believe that is justification to take away the woman’s choice to have an abortion. This also ties back to not being ready to have a child, mentally, financially or emotionally.
The decision to have an abortion should not be made lightly, but it should be a legal option, because a woman’s health and safety are worth being protected.
Women’s Reproductive Rights Deserve to be Protected
This story was originally published in the GenZeal feature of LNP on Sunday, December 17, 2023.
By Jeancelyn Almonte ’24
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade — which, since 1973, had generally protected the right to have an abortion — with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This ruling is already leading to severe consequences for women, particularly in certain states.
For one thing, many women who get abortions do so because they are not in the proper health condition to safely carry a child to term. Even if a woman can physically bear children, mental health is still part of overall health, so if a woman’s mental health is an issue, she should not be obligated to give birth to a child.
Chronic mental or physical illness on the part of the mother or child can play a major role in the well-being of a child. Children could be forced to live with a health issue that presents serious and ongoing challenges.
The 2022 ruling also opens the possibility that children themselves will be forced to give birth to children. Unfortunately, girls as young as 10 years old can get pregnant.
Think of a 10-year-old child that you know. Are they in any position emotionally or physically to care for a child? Of course not! Children of that age, especially if they have been a victim of rape, should not be forced to carry a child to term.
Meanwhile, some adult victims of rape might not want to carry the child to term. One concern is that they could come to resent the child.
In a 2022 column for The Harvard Crimson student newspaper, Kelish M. Williams wrote, “I would not want to be the source of my mother’s continued grief. I would not want to experience my mother’s residual psychological damage from being forced to carry me after being sexually assaulted.”
Or it could simply be the case that some women are not at a place in their lives where they want to have children. My mother had me when she was 22. My best friend’s mom had her at the same age, and my aunt had my cousin at 23.
All of these women were mature and at a point where they were able and ready to have children. However, I know many 22-year-olds who are not ready to be mothers and that’s OK.
Another concern is that those who are denied legal abortions could attempt or seek out other — and extremely unsafe — methods of abortion.
Of course there is always the situation where a couple decides to just mess around, and in that case most people say, “Be more responsible.” While I do agree they should have been smarter, I do not believe that is justification to take away the woman’s choice to have an abortion. This also ties back to not being ready to have a child, mentally, financially or emotionally.
The decision to have an abortion should not be made lightly, but it should be a legal option, because a woman’s health and safety are worth being protected.
Sources
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/8/31/williams-pro-choice/
https://www.livescience.com/youngest-age-give-birth-pregnancy