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Jazmin Martinez

Judith R. McCann

ENGL 1302 213

23 March 2023

America’s Biggest Debate

After the Supreme Court’s verdict in the landmark Roe v. Wade case in 1973, the

question of a woman’s right to an abortion has sparked one of America’s most heated political

and ethical debates. The word "pro-choice" refers to the view that individuals have the freedom

to choose whether or not to have an abortion. It is a contentious issue that has sparked intense

controversy in theology, faith, and society as a whole. Many pro-life views contend that life

begins at conception and therefore abortion should be considered a homicide, but abortion rights

activists argue that women have the right to choose what happens to their bodies. Women get

abortions for several reasons not only because it was an accidental pregnancy. There are women

who have health problems, are not mentally prepared or financially secure, or are too young to

carry a baby to term. Making abortions illegal will not stop them from happening, as 43% of

abortions happen illegally and thus will make them more unsafe for women. Allowing abortions

to be legal will ultimately move the U.S forward in society because it lets women have rights to

their own bodies, allows women to safely obtain a legal medical procedure, and legal abortion is

critical to achieving gender equality.

According to one pro-choice stance, individuals should have the opportunity to make

decisions about their own bodies. The ability to choose what happens to a woman’s own body is

a fundamental human right, and this includes the ability to make pregnancy and birth decisions.

Pregnancy may be a difficult and complex subject, and people must be able to make the best

decisions for themselves and their circumstances. Individual autonomy and personal freedom are
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fundamentally predicated on the right to control one's own body. This theory assumes that each

person has their own set of beliefs, values, and priorities that guide their decisions and behaviors.

Individuals are effectively denied the freedom to exercise their autonomy and express their

specific opinions and priorities when the right to make decisions about their own bodies is

disallowed. The U.S government has continued to restrict women’s bodies and make laws that

deny them their right to choose whether they can have an abortion or not. According to the

researcher Medoff in the article “Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life: The Relationship Between State

Abortion Policy and Child Well-Being in the United States”,….

Another pro-choice argument is that criminalizing abortion does not always prevent it.

Making abortion illegal does not always discourage people from using risky and potentially

lethal procedures to end a pregnancy. When safe and legal abortion options are available,

individuals are more likely to receive competent medical care and support, which can help to

reduce the risks associated with the surgery. With the new laws taking place, many women often

travel to another state, sometimes very far, just to obtain an abortion because it is illegal in their

own state.

Furthermore, many pro-choice activists believe that access to safe and legal abortion is

crucial to achieving equality among men and women. Because women cannot choose whether to

have a child or not, their power to rule their own lives and make decisions about their

employment, education, and future is limited. The government can help to ensure that all people

have the same opportunities and freedoms by providing safe and legal abortion.
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Works Cited

Biggs, M Antonia et al. “Women's Mental Health and Well-being 5 Years After Receiving or

Being Denied an Abortion: A Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study.” JAMA psychiatry

vol. 74,2 (2017): 169-178. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3478

deMontigny, Francine et al. “Protective and risk factors for women's mental health after a

spontaneous abortion.” Revista Latino-americana de enfermagem vol. 28 e3350. 7 Sep.

2020, doi:10.1590/1518-8345.3382.3350

Fergusson DM, Horwood LJ, Boden JM. Does abortion reduce the mental health risks of

unwanted or unintended pregnancy? A re-appraisal of the evidence. Australian & New

Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2013;47(9):819-827. doi:10.1177/0004867413484597

Medoff, Marshall. “Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life: The Relationship Between State Abortion

Policy and Child Well-Being in the United States.” Health care for women international

vol. 37,2 (2016): 158-69. doi:10.1080/07399332.2013.841699