Reflection #4- Flavin, J. Our Bodies, Our Crimes: The Policing of Women’s Reproduction in America, and, Ross, L. African-American Women and Abortion: A Neglected History,
Dear Mommies,
We know that giving us up may have been a hard decision to make but we want you to know that in a way we forgive you. We must admit that we were sadden by the thought of you wanting to and going through getting rid of us. But we are now learning and understanding why at times some of you had to make the decision. Rights over one’s body can be a touchy subject for many yet, for some of us we are on the fence about it because some agree with some parts and others disagree with others. We now know that abortion has been a topic that’s been through a rollercoaster ride throughout the years; where it was legal at one point and then it was illegal and now legal. Nonetheless, you all have been through a rollercoaster with society wanting you trying to dictate what to do with your bodies. From, not educating you about contraceptives and birth control, slave owners wanting the African-American mothers to become “breeding machine” to make money off of your children, to sterilizing you without consent to control those who are poor. We are all sorry that you had to go through all of that because it is extremely disrespectful and dehumanizing but most of us believe that killing us isn’t the option. We know that there are very stressful circumstances such as those women who are raped and don’t want to have their offender’s child or don’t want to a raise a child on their own or can’t afford to raise a child on their own or a too young but we believe that aborting a child is an act of murder. Well at least Agape does. A fetus heart begins to beat 3 weeks after conception and by then most women don’t even know they’re pregnant. We are not trying to take away your body rights or your ability to make decisions about your body because it is your own, we just want to let you know that there may be other options. Also, to those of you who get an abortion because of unplanned pregnancies own up and take responsibility for your actions. To those who need to abort because of health risks make sure that is the last possible for option. We know that as females and being able to make decisions for your own life is a milestone but be careful with the decisions you make so it’s not costly to another human’s life.
Sincerely,
All babies that have been aborted.
-Agape Arias 10/21/18