Personhood

I am so glad that Mississippians did not vote in the "personhood amendment", which would define human life as beginning at fertilization. It heartens me to know that not everyone in the South is blinded or cowed to vote a certain way.

Besides the fact that there is no way to tell exactly when fertilization happened, once it has, and the obvious implications for all women in Mississippi, and the cavalcade of lawsuits that would result, and the trickle of states that would follow suit...beside all that, I just think it's a bad idea to make black and white decisions on gray matters.

I would never have an abortion. I would counsel any of my loved ones who were considering it to think long and hard and lean against it, and depending on the circumstances I would probably be heartbroken if it would have been a child related to me.

But I would also totally support her decision, whatever it was. Without the ability to choose, our whole society is screwed.

I'm not a man hater. If anything, I understand the male point of view just a little better than a lot of women, having only brothers, only sons, and now only grandsons. The fact that it is mostly males in power telling us that embryos' and zygotes' rights are more important than the actual living woman standing before them is a woman-hating position. It broadcasts in living color that many males do not understand the woman's point of view.

Most people don't actually research an issue before the state an opinion. I'm okay with that, so long as they admit they're not widely read. I have to say that I am widely-read on this subject. I have had an interest in it for decades. I used to listen to sermons in church about it, and I have read many a feminist blog, and moderate websites. I have also aged. With age you get experience, whether you want it or not. While I've always said I would never have an abortion, I didn't always believe that other women should have the choice--even though my position was always kind of wobbly. Now, it's not wobbly at all.

I am completely pro-life...for me.

I am completely pro-choice...for you.

The lack of reproductive choice for all women is a scourge on society. I don't think Michelle Duggar is wise for trying for a 20th child, but would I bar her from doing so? Absolutely not. She would definitely prevent me from having an abortion if she could, though. I think that's a hostile and untenable position.

By being pro-choice, I am not pro-abortion. I am pro-life. I'm pro the life of the living, sentient being who is faced with a incomprehensible choice.

Just posting about this on my blog could get my tires slashed in this town. I don't think anyone would actually burn down my house. Okay, maybe they'd just defriend me on Facebook, but whatever.

It is important to my sanity that I "come out" on this issue.

Legal, safe, and rare.