Semimystical Thoughtwanking and the Abortion Debate

“But over time I came to the realization that actually protecting every fertilized egg, which is the only way to be consistent with the position that the state should have a say in the fate of fertilized eggs, would require constant Orwellian monitoring of 51% of the population. You’d have to test women constantly for pregnancy and for unauthorized termination of same. You would have to monitor, and prosecute, and invade the privacy and bodies of every woman capable of reproducing. …  I came to the conclusion that discussions of the rights of the fetus must always be the concern of the woman making the choices, and no one else. There is no other way to safeguard the equality of women in our society. You cannot give the state a say in the condition or management of a woman’s body without making her a second class citizen and infringing on her freedom in nearly every way imaginable. Given that such a society appears to be the very real goal of every single organization dedicated to rolling back abortion rights (and tellingly, this always includes contraception rights) I don’t give a flea’s fart what sort of philosophical beard stroking and semimystical thoughtwanking about the personhood of the fetus that others (almost always male others) think deserves my consideration. I don’t have that luxury. I am far too busy trying to defend the principle that my body belongs to me and only me, regardless of whether I’m gestating or not.

Commenter on a Metafilter thread about the abortion debate.


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