Sunday, 17 April 2011
Family planning
To me means just that.
Planning a family means planning when to have children, presumably preferably when you are solvent and can provide a happy and loving home.
Family planning means using contraception, which, shock horror, rumour reliably informs me that even Catholics indulge in. Or family planning means not having sex at all.
Family planning also means making sure you do not have children when you don't plan to. For whatever reason. Money. Health. Personal and family relationships not working out.
Being born into a dysfunctional family is no fun. Or being born into one where you are not wanted. My aunt always proclaimed that my cousin had been a mistake.
I may have been born into a dysfunctional family but at least I was very much wanted.
When I went to university the thought of getting pregnant absolutely horrified me. It would have destroyed my degree, my career, my future life. Or maybe not. But without a doubt if I had become pregnant I would have had an abortion. Without a second thought.
I don't consider an inseminated seed to be a person. I don't consider a foetus to be a person. And, my life comes first. My body is mine, and no-one else's to determine. Every other woman in the world should have the right to do what they want with their body. They don't. Who tells men what to do with theirs? Well? Does anyone?
So, abortion is also a part of family planning. The part that we all hope to avoid, but that needs to be there for a stop gap. Whatever the reason for that stop gap is. And instead of criticising that service, maybe people should consider how to help the people who sadly need that service in the first place and work out how to help them instead of bleating on about unborn foetuses.
Because I don't seek to impose my view on anyone else. I would very much like the world to be vegetarian, feminist, environmentalist, anti-capitalist/globalist, etc etc but it ain't. And I don't tell you what to do. So please, leave women to decide what they want to do with their own bodies. Thank you.
And why the USA government proposed a shutdown over family planning is beyond me. Or is it?
With which, I expect to lose, even more internet friends :)
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7 comments:
Once again I agree totally with nearly every word of yours. I only differ in that I was not a wanted baby or concieved out of love.
A womans body is her own and I firmly believe it is every womans right to have an abortion as in my eyes, only when born is a foetus a person.
Sound family planning should take away the need for terminations but accidents [I'm talking from personal experience] & rapes do happen, so a free abortion service available to everyone is vital here & in the States.
I agree it isn't an easy topic and can bring back some painful memories but it is something that needs to be confronted and spoken about and not put in the too hard basket or whispered about. Women need resources to help with their choices.
Thank you both for having the courage to even comment on such a difficult topic. I'm not sure I should say much more as I don't want to trigger any more memories for anyone.
For one, no need to pussyfoot around re me, as I made my personal desicion without a second thought, never regreted it and don't mind ommiting to it either as feel no shame.
Shame should not come into it. The only shame comes from other people who aren't worth the time of day.
well said Kate x
I had a "scare" once, it was a long time ago, and I was married, not that it would have made any difference whether I was married or not. However, the pregnancy was just at the wrong time, and the wrong place in my life. Totally. And I knew without any doubt, I would have an abortion.
However, fate took a hand, the decision did not have to be made. I fell on the ice, outside the back steps, in the snow. And, well, no abortion, no foetus. It was a relief, you cannot imagine.
Well you probably can. I think abortion should be available to any woman, and it should be totally up to her and her decision alone. It is part of family planning, and sometimes, as a last resort, it cannot be helped.
Sorry didn't want to make this AAM, but somehow with a subject like this, it cannot be avoided.
Letty
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