Reproductive Rights

No issue brings greater divisiveness in our society than reproductive rights. Let me begin by saying, I believe there are well intentioned people on both sides of the issue. There are also a lot of assumptions and vastly different opinions of religious philosophies and the role of government.

My journey starts with a faith tradition that is strictly pro-life. However, I also have a degree of skepticism when it comes to religions presenting themselves as the sole arbiters of morality given their roles throughout history.

Abortions hit a decade-plus high in the first full year after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Why? I believe it’s because, as a society, we refuse to fully fund child care tax credits, adequately subsidize daycare centers, or support a living minimum wage. There are lots of folks who are pro-life … but only until birth. Several years ago, I listened to a Franciscan nun on a Zoom conference call. Her underlying message was this … if we, as a society, provide the social safety net that families need, many will choose life.

This is a choice that should be decided by women and their families, doctors, and spiritual advisors; but, certainly should not be a decision made more difficult by the government. To deny women this right to choice regarding their personal freedom is to treat them as second class citizens. Ironically, often the same people who claim government overreach regarding vaccine mandates, “my body, my choice”, don’t extend that thinking to women’s reproductive freedom.

A recent discussion about this issue with one of my daughters was enlightening. As a young woman who has blessed us with two beautiful grandsons, I was curious to get her perspective on reproductive rights. She pointed out that the burden of losing reproductive rights falls disproportionately on the poor. A family, already struggling to make ends meet for their child or children, may have to decide who gets fed, and who goes hungry. This isn’t a problem for the wealthy.

A quote she ran across sums up my perspective, and goes something like this … “Being pro-choice doesn’t mean l’m a fan of abortion. It means I don’t tell other people what to do when they are in a situation I may never understand myself.”