The right to abortion is one of the most hotly discussed issues in the modern world. Even though this right has been guaranteed by the American law for many decades, conservative and right-wing groups of people constantly make attempts to ban abortions or make the procedure less accessible and more complicated. This issue divides the society. Here is a sample research paper that considers arguments in favor of abortions. If you need a similar paper, you can order it on Writers-House.com
Pro-Choice: Women Have a Right to Choose Abortion
The women’s right to have an abortion is one of the factors that divide our country. There are two opposite points regarding this issue. Some people define themselves as pro-choice, stating that any woman has a right to choose what she wants to do with her body. Others say that a fetus cannot be killed because it’s a human being. There are much morea people who don’t take any of these sides, staying somewhere between the opposite views. Some of them state that an abortion should be legal only if a woman was raped and in similar cases. Most of the people who stand against abortions are motivated by their religious views. On the other hand, some of them may see examples from the real life that push them to an idea that abortions should be legal. This issue is so complicated that the discussion becomes only more and more difficult and deep.
The Supreme Court Allows Women to Choose
Women have a right to choose an abortion. This issue is about every woman’s body, and only she can decide what to do with it. However, there are many people who try to limit this freedom. Most pro-lifers are men who would never face such a problem (Luker, 2009). Thus, this issue is directly related to the issue of inequality. During hundreds of years, women were fighting to be considered human beings. They were fighting to have a right to make their own decisions, without a man who decides what they should do with their bodies. The right to abortion, if taken from women, will be a giant step back for the whole progress made in this sphere.
People who take one or another side in this discussion must realize that some point that seems right in a certain situation may turn out to be wrong under different circumstances. For example, people who support abortions must understand that such a choice may vary depending on the time frame. All women who face this problem must be able to decide whether or not they need an abortion, taking into account their particular circumstances.
Arguments For Abortion
There are cases that illustrate the importance of pro-choice better than anything else. For example, there are cases in which a woman was sexually assaulted. A rape is a terrible incident, so many people agree that a victim shouldn’t be forced to keep a baby after it. First of all, such a baby will be a reminder of what happened, causing a significant psychological damage to the victim. Another argument for abortions considers cases in which a woman has certain health problems that may prevent her from giving a birth to a healthy child. Sometimes it’s clear that a baby won’t be able to live a normal life. A fetus doesn’t have its self-consciousness at early stages of pregnancy, so it’s not a person. Abortion is a safe procedure that helps women get rid of the unwanted pregnancy and the associated stress.
Even though women now have the right to vote and they are less vulnerable than a few decades ago, they are still an oppressed group. This issue is especially important for the minorities and women who live in poverty. If a woman cannot afford to have children, giving a birth will only make this situation worse. There are also many women involved in unequal relationships so they cannot decide whether or not to use contraceptives. Many women become impoverished because they have several children while they even couldn’t afford to have one.
Arguments Against Abortion
The most common argument against is that abortion is murder and so it goes against the First Amendment and other laws. The pro-life community considers the fetus a person from the very moment when the egg is fertilized. According to Dworkin, 2011, those who stand against abortions claim that fetuses are the same people as everyone else and so they need their interests to be protected from the very beginning. First of all, they are talking about the right not to be murdered.
People who don’t support the right to abortion claim that there are many other options available. For example, a woman can use one of many forms of contraception. Their children can be adopted, so these women will help families that want to have a child but have problems with reproductive systems.
Along with reasonable arguments stated above, some people point out negative psychological or medical consequences of the procedure, even though these ideas were proven to be untrue. They say that an abortion can affect a woman’s ability to have kids in the future. They also speak about anxiety and depression that may be caused by the feeling of guilt for killing a baby. The latter argument is somewhat true, however, it depends on a particular woman and whether she realizes the importance of her decision or not. We should also realize that such a feeling of guilt may be caused by the reaction of others.
Religions Against Abortion
Most people who stand against abortions are driven by their religious beliefs. They state that abortions go against the seventh commandment that prohibits murder. They also state that only God has a right to give or take a life. On the other hand, the same people often stand against contraception as well, which makes their point completely unrealistic, describing sex as only a tool for procreation.
Of course, the issue of morality is complicated itself. For example, sometimes parents think about making an abortion when they know that their baby is evolving some serious disability, such as Down syndrome. Everybody understands that such a disability limits the ability of an individual to live a fulfilled life. On the other hand, such disabilities are not the only thing that can be determined early. Parents can predict the sex of their child at early stages of pregnancy, which may lead to abortions in cases when the sex of the child is unwanted. Gender selection may become a serious problem in patriarchal societies, such as many Muslim countries.
Legal Concerns
Legal concerns are based on the case Roe versus Wade, where the Supreme Court stated that denying a woman’s right to an abortion goes against the constitution. According to Siegel, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the abortion right must be considered an equality right.
Every woman has a right to make decisions regarding her own body. This right is the element of the basic freedom that makes her equal to men. Those who speak against the abortion right must take into account constitutional rights. For example, in Texas, abortion laws don’t contradict the federal law but add many details that make the women’s choice more difficult.
Debates Keep Going On
The issue of abortion consists of many different factors, such as religious views, legal statements, and other arguments. This discussion is unlikely to end in the near future because it requires both sides to consider the arguments of the opposite side in order to find a compromise. Everybody has a right to discuss this issue and express his or her personal opinion, it’s a feature of our free society. However, everyone should understand basic principles of liberty and not question rights of other people.
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