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Social Criticism Of Abortion

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According to Wikipedia, abortion is the premature exit of the products of conception (the fetus, fetal membranes, and placenta) from the uterus. It is the loss of a pregnancy and does not refer to why the pregnancy was lost. Abortion is a very contentious issue and the attitude towards it has always been and is still very controversial. It has caused uncounted deaths and several violent confrontations between the supporters of the two separate parties. Pro-life supporters advocate that everyone has the right to life, even “Fetus,” and Pro-choice supporters argue that the right to abortion is absolute. In “Abortion, No more Apologies,” Katha Pollitt states abortion as a normal part of a woman’s reproductive life, one that should be …show more content…

Pollitt also insisted that woman should not have anyone’s permission to make healthcare decisions. Contraception is one of these decisions that woman should be making with her doctor. She referred to the example of “Trust Woman,” a popular motto in the pro-choice movement. The movement gave the absolute right and freedom for every woman in the abortion issue. It also supported women to make their own decisions, “no one else can make a better decision” (p.15). Women seeking to terminate a pregnancy understand what’s going on. They don’t need a patronizing reminder from politicians, or difficult rules imposed by doctors, or even ethics from church or family. They only need to trust themselves and take the right decision according to their life, health, and body. Pollitt has even gone further with defending abortion as a constitutional right. The Supreme Court has ruled on it, in 1973, in Roe v. Wade case, which affirms the legality of a woman’s right to have an abortion under the Fourteenth Amendment. Why is it then, that women who seek an abortion, are treated like criminals? Laws prohibiting abortion prevent women from making the personal choices that enable them to live the lifestyle they want, reducing their ability to contribute effectively to the society. Moreover, the ideal abortion law, according to Pollitt, is a blank piece of paper. She approaches the

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