I’ve sometimes heard pro-choicers claim that second-trimester abortions only happen in cases of a threat to the physical health of the mother, or in cases of a non-viable infant.<\/p>\n
That’s not always true. In some cases, the fetus is disabled but viable (there’s been some discussion of this on “Alas,” for example in this post<\/a>). In other cases, the woman may have needed months to save up the money and put together the resources (transportation, days off, etc) required to have an abortion; this is particularly the case in states where pro-forced-childbirth forces have successfully put limitations on abortion access.<\/p>\n And sometimes, some woman are simply ignorant of how their bodies work, and may not even realize they’re pregnant until they’re in the second trimester… or until it’s for all practical purposes too late to get an abortion.<\/p>\n What puts this in my mind today is this must-read post by Angry Black Bitch<\/a>. ABB isn’t talking about why second-term abortions happen, but I still think it’s relevant. Here’s a sample:<\/p>\n Freedom of choice requires freedom of information. The anti-choice movement has steadily been restricting access to reproductive information for years. Most of my current disgust at the advocates of anti-choice policies stems from that fact.<\/p>\n See, a bitch would like abortion to be rare as a motherfucker. Safe is followed by legal, which is followed by rare. My ass is one of millions of Americans who works diligently to educate my community…both men and women…on the various choices they have and options available that will assist in lowering the number of unplanned pregnancies. And a bitch averages at least 5 women per 6 month class session who have no fucking idea how their reproductive system works, what the real health risks and advantages are associated to contraception and what family planning is.<\/p>\n An average of 5 women…usually out of a total of 10 to 15…have to be educated about their reproductive cycle, how sex may result in pregnancy, what contraceptive methods are available to them and\/or how to choose the best method. And Average of 5 women per class cycle relate misinformation about contraception…feel that using the pill may make them unable to have a baby in the future…believe that the pill may protect them against sexually transmitted diseases…feel that it is inappropriate to ask their sexual partner to use a condom because it ‘assumes that they are sick’…strongly believe that they can not contract a sexually transmitted disease from oral sex…think the withdrawal method works…think that you can ‘tell by looking at someone’ if they have a sexually transmitted disease…and do not feel that they need to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases until they are pregnant because they ‘feel fine’. […]<\/p>\n The sad reality is that anti-choice advocates are creating more unplanned pregnancies through their ignorance is bliss policies…and those of us in the trenches are shoveling in a downpour. A bitch struggles to understand the logic and finds that there is none.<\/p><\/div>\n Go read the whole<\/a>, it’s worth your time.<\/p>\n I try to see the best in everyone, including folks who are pro-criminalization on abortion. But their policies don’t make sense if what they want to do is reduce abortion. No one whose primary goal is reducing abortion should be opposed to sex education, or to contraception.<\/p>\n But it’s a perfectly sensible policy if what they want to do is make sure that women can’t have sex without having children.<\/p>\n Curtsy: Brutal Women<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’ve sometimes heard pro-choicers claim that second-trimester abortions only happen in cases of a threat to the physical health of the mother, or in cases of a non-viable infant. That’s not always true. In some cases, the fetus is disabled … Continue reading