I am not writing with the goal of convincing Alexander Paiva, Melissa Vise, Peter Smallcomb or any pro-lifer of my pro-choice stance; I concede that I would not be able to change their minds within this letter (‘Abortion Coverage Biased,’ Jan. 28, pg. 10; ‘D.C. march mourns Roe v. Wade,’ Jan 28, pg. 10; ‘Right to choose ignores right to life,’ Jan. 28, pg. 11). I’m also not going to pose statistics of annual abortions, because I don’t know where Alexander Paiva obtained his figures, so arguing numbers would be fruitless.
All I wish to do is explain one feminist’s point of view. I am aware of the unfortunate backlash-stereotype that feminists are women who hate men. While I think that for some this is true, I am confident in saying that generally, feminists are not man-haters. The definition of ‘feminism’ is the belief that women are equal to men, and feminists advocate political, economic and social equality for women. Therefore, a feminist’s view is not ‘in opposition to a gender-equal society’ rather feminists promote equality. Additionally, I believe when Colden Ray said, ‘there’s such a threat being posed,’ she was referring to the threat of Roe v. Wade being overturned (‘Women’s Center travels to Capital,’ Jan. 27, pg. 1). The pro-life movement and the appointment of a pro-life Supreme Court Justice pose a danger to abortion remaining safe and accessible.
As a pro-choice woman, I want to clarify why I advocate abortion rights: the choice itself holds importance for me. I do not promote abortion for every woman on the contrary, I want the option to be available specifically for women under extreme circumstances. For example, if a rape survivor or a victim of incest discovers she is pregnant, I absolutely support her choice to have an abortion. If a woman’s life is endangered by her pregnancy, I believe she should have the option to abort. Since any woman can find herself in these or other damaging situations, I believe abortion must be a safe and legal alternative. To aid a woman’s decision, many abortion clinics provide counseling, explaining all options. I am pro-choice because I believe in the right of a woman to have a choice, to have control over her body. For others to assert power over a woman’s body is an extension of the sexism in our society and an example of the gender-inequality in our culture.
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