SOCIAL ISSUES | OPINION

What the Religious Right gets Wrong about Abortions

Roe versus Wade versus what women want

No one desires an abortion in the same way that no one desires an appendectomy. Women don’t see it as a go-to alternative to birth control. Women don’t get pregnant for the fun of it and have abortions just to spite people or gods. Women don’t put ‘have an abortion’ on the top of their bucket list.

The anti-abortion crowd seem to miss that women would much rather never face the circumstances where we want or need one.

What do women want?

I can’t speak for every last woman — and I certainly can’t imagine the mindsets of some — but it’s pretty fair to say the following is true for the vast majority of women.

What all of us want

Women and girls want to be safe from being raped by family members, friends or strangers. Women and girls want men and boys to understand and respect consent.

Women who want children

Women who want children want to be safe and healthy throughout their pregnancy. They want their fetus to be safe and healthy and carried to full term. They want to make decisions that are right for their own and their…