While I was raised solidly in the anti-abortion movement, I am today solidly pro-choice. My transformation took place for three main reasons:

First, I think women should be able to choose when and if to have children, and that means supporting their right to birth control and abortion. And indeed, the more we encourage contraceptive use and comprehensive sex education, the fewer abortions will be needed. Even then, of course, contraception sometimes fails, fetuses sometimes have severe abnormalities, and women sometimes find their lives threatened even by wanted pregnancies.

Second, I do not believe that the zygote is a fetus or “person” with moral or legal rights. Determining what is and is not a “person” is obviously complicated, and I’ll admit that late-term abortions can seem morally troubling. However, I don’t believe in the existence of a divine “soul” implanted at conception or any other stage, and I most definitely don’t think a first or second trimester fetus has even a breath of claim to personhood or rights.

Third, I see birth as a firm dividing line because until then the fetus inhabits a woman’s body. A woman’s body is private property – it’s hers. She shouldn’t be forced to let another being live in it. Once that other being is out of her body, that’s when it gets rights. Until then, any rights it is given would be taking away from the woman’s rights over her own body. And to me, that matters.

For everything I’ve posted on reproductive rights, see posts categorized under birth control and abortion.