Abortion, A Social Issue

Assignment 2: Abortion, A Social Issue

Diana Bryant

Professor Layne

SOC 100

March 4, 2012

Abortion is one of the many social issues of the world. Many people have their own views on abortion. In the next few paragraphs I will explain to you two different views one being pro- life and the other being pro-choice. Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by any means before the fetus is developed to survive (Murphy, 1985, p. 79). Pro-choice supporters feel that expectant mothers should have the right to choose whether or not to have their baby. Pro-life supporters believe that the fetus has a right to live from the moment of inception. These are the ways that society defines abortion.

One side of the abortion argument is the pro-choice argument. Pro-choice movement organizations strive to embrace abortion as an element of a broader "rights" framework, encompassing both women's right to equality and the gender-neutral right to freedom from state intervention (Danigelis, Strickler, 2002, p. 191). Supporters of the pro-choice argument think it is important for a woman to have the right to continue with their pregnancy because it involves a woman's body, personal health, and future. People who support abortion being pro-choice believe that both parents' and children's lives are better if abortion is legal. Women who are desperate enough to get an abortion would still do so illegally and there are many risk factors to having an abortion without proper medical supervision. There is a common misconception that advocates of pro-choice are also pro-abortion. This is not necessarily true. They believe forced abortion to be just as illegal and ethically wrong as the outlawing of abortion.

These same people who support the rights to abortion see it as a last resort and that there are many situations where abortion should be an understandable or necessary option to have. One situation is if a woman was raped. Rape is forced, unwanted intercourse. A woman being forced to have intercourse is a difficult situation in its self and, if it produces an unwanted pregnancy, can become a grave reminder of the horrible act. This is where pro-choice advocates see abortion as a necessary option.

Another situation where abortion should be an option is if the health or life of the expectant mother or the fetus is at risk. This situation brings up a lot of controversy for it can be difficult to decide who's life is more important, the woman or the fetus. Advocates believe that the expectant mother's life is more important because of the power they feel she should have over making the decision to have an abortion. This is especially true when her health is at risk.

The last situation where abortion should be a necessary option is if the woman feels she is unable to raise a child. This option is based on present and future perception, so it usually of personal preference. Teenagers and single parents are groups of women that fall into this category. Teenagers are children themselves and are just finishing school, so there is a definite chance that raising a child would be difficult for them. Single women would have difficulty raising a child because of financial reasons and the fact that they don't have a lot of support. Should a child be brought into this world if he or she doesn't have parent that can raise them properly? Should a teenager raise a child if she is a child herself? These are too many questions that make it necessary, in the eyes of pro-choice advocates, to keep abortion legal.

On the other hand we have pro-life supporters. The pro-life movement is a political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction. The pro-life