It’s election year, and a big focus has been over whether abortion or even birth control should be allowed. As a woman, it pisses me off to no end to listen to a bunch of middle-aged male politicians talk about what I should and shouldn’t be able to do with my uterus. There’s no equivalent: I can’t say to a man, “Well how would you like it if you weren’t allowed to…” because there’s nothing to compare it to. It’s such a personal issue. To tell women they shouldn’t be able to choose abortions for themselves, to say that I can’t decide how to deal with an unwanted pregnancy in my own way, makes me feel like a second-class citizen. There’s no feeling quite like being told you shouldn’t be allowed to choose the best course of action for your own body and your own future.
It bothers me enough listening to middle-aged male politicians banter on about how my rights to make my own health decisions should be taken away. It makes me angry, sad, and afraid. It terrifies me that there really are these oppressive and stupid men in this country, in 2012 no less, that are trying to push women a step back . Then there are the women who also cry out in agreement for suppression of their own rights. I want to slap those women.
Yes, all of this pisses me off. But what truly brought it home and led me to finally write about it and take a stand is being told, to my face, by a peer that he supported taking away my rights. That he knows better than me what I should do.
When I say I’m pro-choice, I’m not even talking about circumstances. Some say there should be exceptions to the no-abortion stance, like rape or for the health of the mother. But really, to me the only explanation needed is, “This is what is best for me.”
I’m not saying these things to have those that disagree with me try to tell me why I should change my position. My position won’t change, so save your breath. I’m writing this because the whole issue became a whole lot more personal to me when I felt the discrimination first-hand, when it wasn’t some idiot on tv but someone whom I wrongly believed valued me equally as a person. I’m sad, I’m hurt, and yes, I’m angry, and I feel driven to say so.
I don’t believe that abortion will ever be illegal in this country, and that comforts me. I’m further comforted by the fact that there are good men in the world, men that are my family and my friends, that stand with me and all other women and will fight alongside us to help us keep our rights.
To those people who are trying to take my right to choose away, you are a villain in my world, make no mistake. You are someone who believes that you know better than I do what choice is right for me. You are trying to position yourself to tell me what to do and I really, really hate being told what to do. The fact that you think you should be able to dictate to me is disgusting.
This is all very simple. If you don’t like abortions, don’t have one. But don’t try to tell me what to do.
In short, keep your nose out of my vagina.