..and the oppression continues...

Abortion has been a very “touchy” subject for many years amongst society. There has not been a set solution to this problem because there are so many different point of views, benefits and disadvantages that follow the choice. I consider myself a pro-life, but like the responses in the essay by Andrea Smith from the Native Women I am also pro-choice. I have always said I would never get an abortion due to the moral standards that I have been raised in within my family, but in a situation of rape and being in that person’s shoes, there can be a 360 degree turn in this situation. I think the day something like that happens to me (which I pray it never will) that will be the day that I will know exactly which side of the equation I support. After reading the essay I realized that either way depending on what side you are in, in the end it all oppresses women in every way still. It seems like society is trying to attack women in every play of the game and they find every opportunity to restrict women especially women of color and those living in poverty from certain rights and the freedom of choice. What I found interesting and I did not realize until I read this article is the fact that after the civil war the percentages of women of color and people of color in general increased after the abolition of slavery, but like it said in the essay-except for prisoners (smith pg 4). For example, in pro-life, abortions was illegal, we know that most of the women incarcerated would be of color and those who can not afford to raise a child, and in pro-choice, even if women had the right to choose over their bodies, many women still would not be able to afford abortions, hence, expensive contraceptives. Women should always consider their beliefs and values, in order to protest and act upon choosing a side, or come up with a solution that connects both these concepts.