I did not argue (but perhaps it was not sufficiently clear) that men cannot intellectually appreciate the discussion on abortion to the same extent as women can; rather, I pointed out the impossibility for men (as a function of the biological difference between men and women) to find themselves pregnant after a rape, i.e. to experience the situation directly.

It is a separate question whether or not the fact that their physiology shields men from that particular threat ought to be a factor in how much weight we attribute to their opinions when a change of legislation is discussed, particularly of a kind that would potentially pose more stringent claims upon other people’s bodies but would never apply to theirs’. This may strike a nerve with some women, even when faced with an intellectually honest, well-disposed interlocutor. I am not sure what to make of it, it may be understandable as an emotional reaction, but the issue is perhaps too grave to be written off as a “woman’s issue” and not addressed, on some level, by the whole of society.

It is one thing to assume the negatives of carrying the child to term as a result of a personal decision to engage in the activities that may lead to it – being legally forced to go through a process that will cause irreversible body damage and jeopardize the woman’s health and her life only adds insult to the injury and completely devalues any consideration that a *woman*, too, might have a legitimate claim to want to prevent that process and those risks, if she can, in a situation she did not choose it. It is true, however, that having an abortion carries its own set of risks, which may in many cases outweigh the ones associated with the pregnancy. As I said, it is a no-win situation, but that is the one situation in which I hold that the woman should have the right to choose (while keeping the discussion intellectually honest: it IS taking an innocent life no less, and it IS a dangerous procedure with its own set of risks – but it must be offered as an option within a limited time frame).

To be honest, I get somewhat distrubed whenever the discussion is framed ONLY in terms of the interests of the child. I do agree that women have a moral responsibility towards children conceived under ordinary circumstances, which implies assuming the risks and the consequences, but pregnancy and childbirth are no joke (and THAT, too, is something young people should be taught, including all of the things that may go wrong and with what probability, so they can make an informed decision in the matter) and it seems to me very cruel to legally force them upon somebody in that situation, like the El Salvador model.

Personally, I urge for only two exceptions: mother’s life or health endangered by the continuation of pregnancy (no strict time limit) and rape (strict time limit).

Isn’t it the rape that is supposed to be reported earlier? That’s what it says in the later passage you quoted.

It is strange to me that in todays world that if my bmom had chosen to kill me even late term that there are many who think of themselves as pro-life that would approve. After all, I am sure that my bmom was traumatized when she found out she was pregnant and likely was pressured by her friends to “get rid of it”.

I also think it is interesting that so much attention is focused on some of the negatives of carrying a baby to term as if when raped one is more likely to have those negatives occur. I would say that women who have abortions in general have just as many negative health issues and many times have great difficulty having children later on.

And if a woman becomes pregnant after being raped the innocent baby is treated as “a thing” more so then in all other cases even though the baby deserves life as much as the raped woman deserves counseling and healing. To condone late term abortion after 20 weeks is just wrong to me especially since in our kill happy culture there are sadly ample opportunities to abort a baby well before that.

Raped or not, if you become pregnant there is a life growing in a woman. If an abortion is performed there is death. A raped woman will heal with much care and love. An aborted baby is just dead. And before anyone gets on their high horse and asks if I would take that view with my own daughter or granddaughter if they were raped my answer is Yes. I have spoken with my daughter about this very thing and we are in agreement about it.