Founder’s Message: October 2021
by Pauline Field
Life. How precious it is. My son was the result of an unplanned pregnancy. I had a choice, perhaps the biggest of my life. Do I keep this baby or abort it? As I knew that I wanted children but the timing was unfortunate, it was nonetheless a decision I was willing to make, to have the baby. I have never regretted that for an instant. At that time in my life I had several other friends who were faced with the same decision and chose to abort.
Who was right, who was wrong? Unfortunately today that has become a political judgement call.
When women get pregnant they have a choice to make and that choice can be painful. Perhaps they want the child but they can see no way to be able to pursue a life that would be fulfilling by going through with the pregnancy. Or perhaps they see no way to be able to support a child. Or the father of the child disappeared or doesn’t want to take responsibility for it. And maybe there is no-one to guide them through the adoption process if they want to give it away.
I am just touching the surface about the complexity of what happens when a man impregnates a woman. For a group of men, such as the lawmakers in Texas, to make laws governing women’s bodies, particularly such restrictive ones, I find unconscionable. We are in the United States, not Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia.
I speak to people who vote for people based on this issue because they feel that abortion is murder. Our 1st Amendment rights give us free speech, the ability to say what we feel and believe. To those people who cannot wrap their heads around the concept of the sanctity of women’s bodies for religious reasons, I honor them. Just as I honor the woman who finds herself pregnant and chooses to abort.
Women should be able to choose whether they consult with the father, their family, friends or with clergy, and with their doctor and counselor. It is not the government’s job to be litigating about this choice.
In the wake of Texas SB 8 going into effect, I hope you will join me in supporting the important work of any of the following organizations below, or any other organization that will help with the fallout of this law:
And next November, let’s support the women of Texas in electing women and men who want to protect a woman’s constitutional right to choose what happens with her body.