The Right to Choose: Why My Personal Experience Strengthens My Support for Unrestricted Abortion Access
- Christopher Ludiker
- Sep 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Access to abortion is a fundamental human right that should be available to everyone, regardless of the reason, frequency, or circumstances. The decision to terminate a pregnancy is deeply personal and should remain solely with the individual carrying the pregnancy.
There are people who will form opposing opinions on abortion based off of their morals, values, and religious beliefs. However, as someone with experience crafting policy and who understands what good policy is, this is dangerous. We do not open up The United States Code (which may also be referred to as Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, or U.S.C.) and start reading the book to find our morals and values. We should therefore, not write our laws with our morals and values in mind, but rather, our laws should be written with a focus on principles of justice, fairness, and the protection of fundamental rights. There must also be a clear distinction between the separation of church and state. This is a fundamental principle in modern democratic societies to ensure that government remains neutral regarding religious matters. A separation ensures that individuals are free to practice their religion without government interference, preventing the government from endorsing or imposing any particular religious belief. Furthermore, if laws were based on specific religious values, individuals who do not share those beliefs could face discrimination. A legal system grounded in secular principles ensures that laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation. The integration of religion into government affairs can lead to the politicization of religion (sound familiar?), where religious leaders and institutions could wield undue influence over political processes.
I say all of that as a segue into my support for unrestricted abortion access is not theoretical; it is informed by a personal experience that tested my beliefs.
I was in a relationship that lasted most of 2023 that was pretty serious. During the beginning of our relationship, she had opened up about taking a specific medication to address the chemical imbalance in her brain, and told me she couldn't get pregnant while taking the medication. I had no reason to not believe her, and even reflecting back I think she believed what she was telling me, even though it was false. She had gotten pregnant early in our relationship and never told me about it. She got an abortion and never told me about that, even avoiding me because she was recovering from the procedure. Months go by and we get to a pretty serious point in our relationship, and felt it was best to tell me about the abortion she had. We have had the conversation before her pregnancy about kids as well. We both agreed we were not in the position to have and raise a child, and that in the event that she would get pregnant, I would support her getting an abortion. When she first broke the news to me, I didn't know how to feel. I told her I supported her decision in getting the abortion. I wish she would have told me at the time, but that was in the past and she acted in accordance to what we believed, but more importantly, she acted in accordance with what she believed. It's her body, it's her choice. As time went on, many more emotions came to surface, and I didn't know how to feel. She even showed me the sonogram and told me the gender of the fetus (or child, depending on your perspective). I felt confusion, I felt a betrayal of trust, I felt sympathetic, and I felt hurt.
Even though I was hurt, and beyond the processing of my thoughts and feelings, I came to understand the gravity of the decision my girlfriend faced and why it was laborious for her to share her decision with me. She made the difficult decision understanding the harm it may cause and how it may be hard for others to accept. She executed on her right to make a personal decision, which is extremely important because bodily autonomy is essential for preserving personal freedom and human dignity. It acknowledges that individuals are the ultimate authorities over their own bodies and lives. Bodily autonomy empowers individuals to act as moral and ethical agents, making decisions that align with their values, beliefs, and circumstances, recognizing that people are capable of making informed choices about their own bodies, whether in the context of reproductive health, medical treatment, or lifestyle decisions. When individuals have control over their reproductive choices, they can plan their lives, avoid unwanted pregnancies, and protect their health. This isn't a matter about bodily autonomy; this is a matter of equality and social justice. It ensures that all people, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, or other factors, have equal access to the rights and protections that come with control over their own bodies. When bodily autonomy is restricted, it disproportionately affects marginalized groups, exacerbating inequality and perpetuating discrimination.
I emphasize with her. My support for abortion rights is rooted in the belief that individuals should have control over their own bodies, regardless of the difficulty of the situation, and regardless of anyone else. Relationships are complex, and while the experience was no walk in the park, it reinforced my belief that decisions about abortion must remain with the person carrying the pregnancy.
Numbers are boring. I could make an article about statistics all day and nobody would care. You would leave this article and forget every statistic you read a week from now. What I shared was my story. Stories are what travel across generations, not statistics. It's stories like mine we need to remember and consider when we write policy that is aimed at bodily autonomy. We are living in a time where we are going backwards. We have elected officials who are actively working on taking women's rights away and it's crumbling our democracy. Don't let this article be the last time you think about women's rights and body autonomy. Share this article with a woman you know (or don't!) and ask for her perspective on abortion and the right to make decisions about her body.
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