She was alone in her apartment; her roommates were all out, at the jobs she didn’t have. Still, she had locked the bathroom door. She sucked in all the air she could and held it in, counting down the seconds, staring at the little white stick she gripped in her hand. Two lines slowly snuck into place as the timer went off. She let out a sob, and threw the stick to the ground. Arms wrapped around her stomach, she shrank down onto the tile floor, leaning against the bathtub. Pulling out her phone, she calculated the rent she owed to her friends. She had no money for a proper doctor—she had no money at all.
As a sixteen year old girl, I’m concerned. I’m concerned that if more people don’t see that women deserve the right to choose how they handle unexpected or unwanted pregnancy, someone I know could get sick/die from an illegal abortion, or end up with a child that they cannot support. That is not good for either parent—provided the father knows—or the child. I recognize that some people believe that a child is a living human being upon conception and should not be knowingly aborted because it is a form of murder in their eyes. Although I do not share this belief, if someone does not believe in abortion as an acceptable way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, they shouldn’t be forced to have one, but they also should not impose their beliefs on others. I voice my opinion on this for the women who have had abortions, that are silenced by feelings of shame that are inflicted upon them by our opinionated society. I am Pro-Choice because I believe there is a time between conception and the viability of a fetus outside of the womb where it is possible to terminate a pregnancy without taking a life. Women should not be forced to have a baby they do not want. Many of these women cannot support a child or afford to raise a child, and should not have to. I am Pro-Choice because Pro-Life legislation does not stop abortions; it only increases the rate of illegal abortions. I believe that legal abortions should be made available to everyone through insurance or the government, because feeling trapped in a situation without legal and affordable abortion, will only push people closer to an illegal and dangerous abortion. I am actively Pro-Choice because when no one speaks out against Pro-Life campaigns, women will feel more ashamed to get an abortion, when they should really feel as though it is normal, and ok. I care about this I don’t think anyone should be afraid of unwanted pregnancy, but unfortunately, many women have reason to be.