Finally the fourth claim is the moral right of women to full social equality from a profile feminist perspective . Profile and prochoice feminist both agree on the moral right of women to the full social equality so far denied them. However, the disagreement between concerns the definiton of the desired goal and the best means to get there. They argue that permissive abortion laws do not bring women reproductive freedom, social equality, sexual fulfillment, or full personal development. They argue that women will never climb to equality and social empowerment over mounds of dead fetuses . The prolife feminist say that as long women bear children then they stand to gain from tha attitudes in our society and the institutions that will also protect the fetus in the womb s baby. In other words eliminating the cultural assumptions that support permissive abortion. They also argue that if woman do have a choice to have an abortion or not then why should the men have to support it and share the responsibility if they cannot be in the decision of the childs welfare?
She concludes that while legal abortion are freely available, a clear cultural message is given which is that conception and pregnancy are no longer serious matters. She says that with abortion as an acceptable alternative, women will not be as responsible for the use of contraception. Thus, they will take risks. She finally says that it becomes more and more difficult not to use abortion to solve problem pregnancies. An abortion, she says, becomes no longer a choice but a necessity.
Now after all the arguments discussed throughout this paper, I have my on views on abortion. Specifically, there are some arguments that do not persuade especially the arguments for abortion. For instance, the argument proposed by the utilitarian for abortion is that it will cost too much and also the loss of job. Well, first women do not lose their jobs because of maternity leave. However, there will be a period during the childs raising where the woman has to decide to continue to work or to stay at home. That s free choice. In our society we see a lot of women who do work and raise their children and they have balanced both very well. While they do say arguments for abortion, there are also arguments against abortion such as the loss of happiness and the future contribution of the being that is aborted. I agree with this view because the woman would not feel happy after the procedure. Most women have psychological problems such as guilt and remorse for killing an innocent unborn child.
The article by Thompson did not persuade me, especially her arguments which seemed all absurd. For instance, the outrageous example with the violinist who is a person and as a person he has the right to live. I agree that all persons do have the right to live, however the child did not ask to be put on earth. The violinist could have gone through some treatment and be cured and be saved, but who will save a healthy, innocent and defenseless unborn child? Plus, to prove her point of argument she always brings up the topic of being raped and consequently being pregnant. Research has been done and it shows that it is less than one percent of chance to get pregnant due to rape. Thus, what about the rest, do they deserve to be killed because the woman is not ready to have a child? Then when is she ready? She also says that if the woman has health risks such as a heart problem then abortion is permissible. I do not agree, because with the advanced technology and high skilled doctors treatment and closely being monitored would prevent any complications. Also it is proven that some women do experience health problems such as internal bleeding, which can result into death. So there are also risks to not be prevented from dying due to abortion. Hence, two lives would be terminated. Another argument that she brings up is the issue of self-defense. I asked myself self -defense against what? Against an innocent child,who s harmless. Again if the mother is in danger, doctors are highly skilled and would prevent the risk of death. Plus, like I mentioned earlier, women have also risk if they undergo with the procedure of abortion.
Thompson also argues that we are not required to even give the bare minimum to save a life if we do not want to. That is absurd, because it is her fault that she is pregnant. Thus, she should take the responsibility and give this unborn child all the necessity needs it requires. I f she does not want the child, the least she could do is to give it up for adoption where a family would give the maximum necessity that it requires to live a happy life. When Thompson says that if a woman took all the precaution to not get pregnant and she did then abortionis permissibel. Exactly how many women in this society have had expected pregnancies? Most women do want children but there are others that have had accidental pregnancies and still keeps them. Because all unborn childs do have the right to life and to deny it from life is immoral.
Thompson argues about the term right with the example of the kidney being used for an hour. She says that the violinist does not even have the right to have that privilege. That is ridiculous, for the unborn child to be denied of life because the woman does not want it, well, deal with it. Life was given by God and the woman should not be the sole judge to decide to terminate the pregnancy. Another amusing argument is when she says that it is gross injustice that a woman has to be a Good Samaritan and not to abort it. Well let me ask you this: How about the gross injustice to the unborn child to be denied of life? Should the unborn child be punished because of a self-centered woman that doesn t understant the value of life? Hence, the arguments she tries to defend abortion are nonsense because there is no excuse for anyone to be denied of life, especially iif its an innocent, dependent and harmless unborn child.
The article by Sidney Callahan did persuade me to agree with the prolife feminist but not with the prochoice feminists. The prochoice feministsargues that if the woman does not want to be pregnant then she has the right to have an abotion. She should not be forced against her will to keep it because it s her body and it s her decision. All I have to say to this is it might be her body, however, the father should have a say in the decision because it is half his too. They also refer to the unborn child as a biological pararisite . That term is indecent and wrong to even refer your own child as a parasite. They argue it s like a parasite that takes resources from the woman s body. Well, how do we expect the child to develop, and be a healthy baby if not to provide him with the basic needs. Also, they argue that the mother must invest all her energies into the nine-month process and the next twenty years of responsibility. We were designed to reproduce and our responsibility is to provide the child with the basic needs. They refer to having a child is like an unwanted task when it should be the most wonderful experience any parent could wish to have and be blessed with.
They also argue that if the pregnancy does not in their present situation and priorities than abortion is permissible. Thus they should have control over reproduction. So, contraceptives are available to prevent that. However, they say, that if by chance it fails then abortion can provide the necessity garantee. Then if the woman took all the precautions necessary and still became pregnant then she should take full responsibility. These women, who indulge to have intercourse, know that they might risk of getting pregnant. Hence, if a women is mature enough to have sex then she should be mature to accept the responsibility of havig the baby.
Prochoice feminists also argue about the fact that if the woman is not interested in investing maternal value then she should be able to terminate her pregnancy. they say that the fetal interest can not outweigh the woman s prior interest and right. When a woman is pregnant it is her moral duty to accept the unplanned event and make it her first priority. There is no excuse to have an abortion because it doesn t fit in her present situation.
Finally the last point they argue is that the woman should be able to have sex and be able to enjoy it(i.e. happiness) without worrying about getting pregnant. That is why abortion is important to have access to if ever it happens. Then if the women do not want to get pregnant there are a lot of contraceptives that are ninety-nine percent effective such as the oral contraceptive. Abortion should not be the solution.
Then Callahan argues her view for prolife feminists which I agreed with. She says that prolife feminists so recognize the fetus as a human development and that it is a continuum. I agree that at the moment of conception, which is the first two weeks, is considered as a human development and not some biological parasite. I also agree when she says that it is wrong to harm other bodies no matter if they are immature, dependent, different looking or powerless. Because immaturity and dependency are not crimes, then why kill them.
I also agree with the fact that women should have a wider acceptance of unexpected events. If they can accept, for example, a death in the family or losing their jobs, which are both unexpected events and can be dealt with, then they can deal with the pregnancy. Because women have a moral obligation to the unborn child and to follow th ideology of the prochoice is to betray a fundamental basis of the moral life. Plus, Callahan adds to her argument against abortion that the humanlife from the beginnig to the end of the development has intinsic value. I agree with her point because life does have value and should be the number one priority to the woman to provide the maternal values and needs so that the unborn child could have his right to live.
Finally, when Callahan says that permissive abortion would not bring women reproductive freedom, social equality, sexual fulfillment, or full personal development, it is true because they are proving to society that they cannot do both such as having a career and a family. I also agree with the prolife feminist when they say that men cannot have a say if the women decides to have the abortion, but they have to share the responsibility if the women decides to keep it. Hence, Callahan said something that really caught my attention and thought that it was true. She says that abortion becomes no longer a choice but a necessity. It is true, because women view abortion as a solution for unwanted pregnacies. Thus, they deviate from their moral obligation to survive in a male-dominant society.
In conclusion , abortion will always be a controversial issue because of it s complex and delicate views. For instance, the right to life versus the free choice of women. It will probably be lleft unsolved because of the many arguments for and against abortion which all have strong positions. However, I believe that abortion should not be permissible because of its grotesque way of killing an unborn child. Hence, everyone has their own feelings and own opinions about this. Therefore, we can only conclude that women do make the right choice and value the life that has been given to them.