Before I get into this subject, let me make something very clear. I do not have the right to question what someone else does with their own body. I fully support a person’s right to choose what happens to them and when, for whatever reason they choose. Because that is what I expect for myself. I do not believe that someone else’s beliefs should limit my choices. For me it’s very simple. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. And I’d also like to state that, much to my parents’ chagrin, I don’t have children, have never wanted children and probably never will. This post has been in my ‘drafts’ now for a few weeks as I’ve been contemplating this subject and how to articulate it properly. And now it seems appropriate to get it published.
Now just because of my stated feelings on children, this does not mean I do not care about or love some ankle biters. I have an awesome niece and two awesome nephews, one of them very new and I have assorted array of ‘nieces and nephews’ through my friends. All awesome. It pains me to think that there was the potential for one of these brilliant little human beings to not be here today. However, who the fuck am I to tell their parents what they are to do? The decision to abort must be heart wrenching and I’m sure covers many reasons, financial, emotional and health to put forth a non-exhaustive list. I cannot imagine anyone doing this lightly. And if someone is blasé about it, I imagine they are hiding genuine emotional issues that will manifest later on in undesirous ways.
The genesis for this post was the recent leak from the American Supreme Court suggesting that the mainly conservative panel believe that the landmark ruling – Roe v Wade – is ‘egregiously wrong’ and will overturn the constitutional right for someone to have an abortion. This was confirmed last week and immediately eleven states banned or severely limited abortion with a further eleven having laws which are not yet in effect, but will do the same. I am personally disgusted by this decision. Human beings must have body autonomy and this ruling restricts whole swathes of people who will now be in danger. Because it’s quite simple. Banning abortion does not stop abortions. It just means abortions are more dangerous and more people will be harmed or die. And it’s discrimination. It is well known that this will have a negative impact on some sections of American society more than others.
The BBC have a handy article on Roe v Wade. And Amnesty International have a plethora of info on abortion, please read them:
So at this point, you may be wondering why I’m prattling on about a decision made by an American court for the American people and surely this doesn’t affect me in England. The decriminalisation of abortion only happened in Northern Ireland in 2019. And it only happened because of a quirk in their democratic system whereby they couldn’t form a devolved government so Westminster changed their laws for them. There was even a mad scramble to get a government formed just to stop this legislation, but fortunately in this particular case, they weren’t able to do it. 2019. You remember that year. You know the one just before the pandemic. Northern Ireland – 2019.
Also I have a theory that for us in the UK, America is a lot closer than a seven to ten hour plane ride. Their culture, colloquialisms and mannerisms plague our society to the point where the line is so blurred sometimes I have to question where something originated. I personally don’t have a problem with most American culture. I like watching American Football (to the point where I call our football soccer, which is a treasonable offense!) and I passionately support a team, so much so that I wear their apparel. Go Pats! I enjoy Disney in all of its myriad forms. I love the U.S. version of the tv show The Office more than I do the British one (again treason, I’m sure.) And I was lucky enough to go to Florida to enjoy the sights in February 2020, just before the world shut down.
In the past I have read articles and seen videos of protestors in America surrounding abortion clinics, berating and belittling the people who work there and frequent their services. And this happens in the UK as well. Click on the button to read a news article on the BBC website from May this year. And now my theory expands to actual sitting MPs in our Houses of Parliament. Daniel Kruger MBE no less, this week had this to say: ‘they think that women have an absolute right of bodily autonomy in this matter, whereas I think in the case of abortion, that right is qualified by the fact that another body is involved.’
So ok, putting aside my burning rage for a moment, I will concede that a baby or a fetus, is involved. However we trust parents to make the best decisions for themselves and their children at all stages of their lives. I trust them with the decision on abortion too. It is their choice. Our Right Honourable friend, Daniel Kruger, carries on, ‘I don’t understand why we are lecturing the United States on a judgement to return the power of decision over this political question to the state, to democratic decision makers rather than leaving it in the hands of the court.’ And here is where me and Mr Kruger actually agree. I do believe in devolving this decision to the democratic decision makers. And how more democratic can you get, than giving the decision to the ultimate democratic decision maker, the actual fucking voter. The human being who this impacts. It is their choice.
And a major worry now is this ruling is the crack in the damn these conservative policy makers, whether it be here or in the U.S., wanted to start chipping away at other rights. Not even a week had passed and a Conservative MP feels the need to debate the ‘other side’ of abortion laws in the UK. Clarence Thomas, one of the Judges on the Supreme Court, in his judgement on Roe v Wade also called for the reconsideration of established same sex marriage rights, the right to engage in private sexual acts and contraception rulings. This breach could potentially be the chink these discriminatory, power hungry idiots need. And once the water starts spurting out, once these rights start to be eroded, it’s really fucking difficult to claw them back.
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