Having called myself "pro-choice" pretty much my entire life and, oh, by the way, having a uterus, I'm disturbed by some recent events in my home state. There is a group led by a 20 year old, home-schooled little girl in Colorado that is trying to get a measure on the ballot that would define life as beginning when an egg is fertilized, thereby making "crimes" against embryos prosecutable including certain forms of birth control since it makes the uterus a "hostile environment." This is a cowardly attempt at sneaking in the back door to overturn Roe v. Wade. This story bothers me on so many levels.
First, having grown up in a post Roe v. Wade world, I (and most of my friends) have largely taken for granted our right to choose what happens with our own bodies. It terrifies me to think the next generation (my kids!) could lose this right and grow up in some scary twilight zone flashback in time where women feel they need to resort to back-alley abortions. (Did anyone see that HBO special "If Walls Could Talk?" Scared the bejesus out of me!).
Second, having been very responsible (for the most part) in my younger years, I believe in the pill and in birth control in general. Although it all seems pointless now, I was on the pill for 13 years. And there were reasons other than birth control. Many women use the pill to help regulate their cycles, make their cycles more predictable, and to reduce PMS symptoms. I know having now been off the pill for almost 2 years, that it really did help ease up on the cramping each month and made having a period just a bit more bearable.
Third, having gone the route of IVF, I obviously do not believe that an embryo is a person. Is it "life?" Maybe...well, yes, in a strictly technical sense of the term-in the same way plants are "life," bacteria are "life" (wait, did I just compare our embryos to bacteria?), etc. If put in the appropriate conditions, these things can grow into something I really consider "life." If put into the appropriate conditions (hopefully!), our totsicles can grow into real, live, human beings. But I obviously don't plan on transferring all 18 of our frozen embryos for fear that disposing of them means I'm a murderer. I'm crazy, just not that crazy. And I certainly don't feel like the clinics who do research on embryos and who help conceptually challenged people like ourselves achieve a life-long dream are murderers.
I know this is a really touchy subject, but it irks me that people think they can tell me what to do with my body and with the "fruits" of my loin. I find it particularly disturbing that the measure in Colorado is being led by a 20-year old girl (yes, a GIRL! she should know better) who claims God told her to help embryos when she was just a kid. Seriously? What about helping people who are already PEOPLE, who are suffering, homeless, broke, sick, etc.? Come on, kid.
If this measure (or similar measures which are pending in other states) makes the ballot, please, please, please tell me anyone reading this will vote against it.
2 comments:
I told you it was the worst thing I'd ever heard of!
I would definitely vote against it! M
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