When my mom was pregnant with me, back in 1969, she had preeclampsia. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a “a life-threatening disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Preeclampsia and related disorders such as HELLP syndrome and eclampsia are most often characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to seizure, stroke, multiple organ failure and death of the mother and/or baby.”
She was hospitalized and I was born a few weeks early. We were both fine but she was warned by her doctors that any more pregnancies could be life-threatening. Despite the warnings, she went on to get pregnant again. With my sister. She was born, uneventfully, in 1970. We are 16 months apart.
My mothers story began in 1969 but it became even more important in 1974. I was in Kindergarten. My sister, pre-school. My parents found out that my mom was, once again, pregnant.
They were faced with a gut wrenching decision. Risk the chance of my mom, the baby or both dying if carrying out the pregnancy leaving two little girls motherless. Or, terminate the pregnancy and live with that decision.
Tough choices but the answer fairly clear-cut.
They chose to abort the pregnancy due to the fact that she was already showing signs, very early on in the pregnancy, of a sickness reoccurring.
She CHOSE to terminate the pregnancy.
My parents chose my moms life over that of the fetus. They decided, together, that it was more important to not risk losing a mother and wife.
That was in the 1970’s.
Now, 40 years later, laws are being rearranged, depending on the state. Not necessarily overturning Roe v. Wade but. creating loopholes and secret doors around it.
Laws that could potentially kill women.
This isn’t about abortion anymore. This is about women and their right to decide FOR THEMSELVES what happens to THEIR BODIES.
My moms story is timeless. And it is the same theme, with many variations, told by women throughout our country.
Men, who shudder and scream at the word VAGINA, are the ones deciding the fate of the very thing that seems to offend them.
Stay away from our vaginas. Stay away from our uteruses. Stay away from our personal space.
Our bodies and what goes on inside them, it’s for us and those personally involved with us, to determine the outcome.
Not anyone in the government.
Your job is to worry about protecting the country so why don’t you just concentrate on that.
Let us worry about our bodies.
Let us worry about hard choices.
It’s none of your business.
It’s no ones business unless we CHOOSE to make it so.
I don’t know very many women who want the government choosing what should happen to their bodies.
So stay out of our vaginas.
There is NO WE in CHOICE, or CHOSE or CHOOSE.
Pro-choice isn’t just about the life of a fetus anymore; it’s about women being allowed to choose, for themselves, what path THEY want to take.
I CHOOSE to be PRO-CHOICE because there is NO WAY I’m going to let a stranger, government or not, decide what I can and can not do with MY BODY, MY MIND, MY VAGINA, MY LIFE…
MY CHOICE.
And the people said, “Amen!”
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Thank you for writing something so raw for the whole world to see. You’re brave and to be commended.
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I’m with ya 100%… my body… my choice… Pro-Choice!!
Why do they meddle in such silly things when there are certainly better things that they can focus on?
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Amen.
(this is such a serious subject that I am going to pass up the opportunity to make a funny here – I totally (I typoed that – it came out “titally” – but I corrected it) agree. It nobody’s business but but the woman to whom the body belongs.
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Great post … I am 100% agreed, as well.
Amen. What would happen if things were the opposite – the government said you MUST abort a fetus if you learn it has deformities that will require government support for the rest of its life? Pro-choice has many different elements, and does not necessarily mean pro-abortion. I think those who call themselves pro-life seem to forget this in their zealousness.
Yes! I wholeheartedly agree. Your timing is perfect. I made the mistake of getting into it with my grandmother’s side of the family today. I had to step out of the conversation because of the nastiness that was emerging. Because when you pose a tough relevant question, instead of a suggestion, that’s what you get: Venom. So it’s great to see your post today.
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