Abstract This paper puts forward the argument for legalizedabortion. It discusses how all women of all races and classes should have the freedom to control their own reproductive lives. It describes how abortion is only an option for the wealthy who can afford to do it properly but when legal termination of pregnancy is prohibited, it is women who live in poverty who suffer such as lower class females from Black, Hispanic, and Native American ethnic groups, as well as whites below the poverty level. Every day mothers have babies who are unwilling or unable mentally, physically, or emotionally to take care of them. It also examines how poor women and women of color and are much more likely to suffer deaths or injuries from illegal and botched abortions in back-alley clinics.
From the Paper "In the latter part of the twentieth century began to think of themselves as not identified totally with biology and relegated to a life of nothing more than marriage and childbearing, but as having the right to develop their own potential as males had always done. In agreement with the feminists, I believe that women, like men, should have the right to sexual freedom, independence, and control over their own bodies.
Among the many pro-choice arguments with which I agree are that abortion must be kept legal, especially for all the rape and incest pregnancies and that abortion is often a form of preventive medicine which may preserve the life of a woman whose health might be jeopardized by a completed pregnancy. Both these arguments support a woman's right to control her own life and health as opposed to emotional anti-choice arguments that describe abortion as foetus murder."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that abortion today has become a highly contentious ethical issue and the limits to which it is enforced within a legal system is primarily centered on the rationale of an unborn baby being (un)able to claim personhood. The writer points out that arguments are numerous both for and against this and are ultimately aimed at legally justifying access, or restriction, to abortion services. This essay argues that grounds for legalizingabortion are not conclusive and that they are in-fact arbitrary and fallacious in some cases. The writer puts forth a case for illegality in abortion law except under exceptional circumstances, through the objection of the pro-abortion arguments of fertilization being process, and a fetus is only a potential human being.
From the Paper "To insinuate that there is no difference between an ovum before and after fertilization is contrary to current scientific inquiry. The proposition of using the 'process' argument as a justification on relaxing the legal limit to abortion is at very least vague and the consequences of being wrong is worrisome. Being able to distinguish an exact point of personhood, based on subjective criteria, on a continuum, comes across as impossible and plagued by arbitrary judgments.
"Garrett Hardin, formally professor of biology at the University of California in Santa Barbara, writing before the 1967 legalizing of abortion in the United States reasons that the killing of very young embryos is not the same as killing at another stage in life, claiming we are not the same person at different stages of life."
Abstract This paper argues the case in favor of legalizedabortion. The argument centers on the injustice of male control over the lives of women. The writer shows that women who are not white upper-class are most likely to suffer from anti-abortion laws. Addiction, rape, incest, race, and anti-abortion psychology are brought as proofs for a pro-choice conclusion.
From the Paper "One of the fundamental questions involved in the debate over legal abortions is the relative rights of females and males to control their own lives. If men got pregnant, the legality of abortion would not be in question. The abortion question brings up the timeless issue of white patriarchal control over the sexual purity of women who males consider to be their property to be used sexually in any way they choose. In my opinion, all women of all races and classes should have the freedom to control their own reproductive lives."
Abstract This paper looks at a brief history of abortion in America, which remains a controversial issue of human rights with social and moral ramifications. Several legal cases that influenced "Roe v. Wade" are discussed, starting with " Meyer v. Nebraska", which was filed during the early twentieth century. The paper explains that, despite "Roe v. Wade" stressing the constitutional rights of women, this hallmark case has created a societal division between the pro-choice position that supports abortion and the right to choose and its pro-life opponents who strongly disagree with this decision.
From the Paper "Pro-life groups believe that life begins at the moment of conception. Many Catholics feel the fetus has a soul; therefore, aborting it would be considered murder. Pro-choice groups believe in having a choice and a safe place for women to have abortions. The mistake people make in criticizing pro-choice groups is the belief pro-choice means pro-abortion. This is not the case. Pro-life groups fail to recognize that a woman should have the right to decide what is best for her and/or her family."
Tags: safe, birth control, amendments rights fetus
Abstract In this essay, the writer explains that abortion was decriminalized and abortion clinics were established in Canada as a result of direct challenges to federal and provincial governments. The writer looks at Section 251, which restricted the conditions under which abortions could be performed and not be considered an indictable offense. The writer notes that on January 28, 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada declared Section 251 of the Criminal Code unconstitutional. The writer concludes that social policies that support women, including prenatal education, universal daycare, parental leave, community midwives, affordable housing and economic equality, are needed in order to ensure real freedom of reproductive choice.
From the Paper "Section 251 was passed in 1969. This law criminalized abortion under any circumstances but in an accredited hospital with a therapeutic abortion committee. Activism in opposition to that law began in 1970 when Dr. Henry Morgentaler was arrested for doing abortions without the consent of an abortion committee and outside of an accredited hospital. He performed the abortions as an act of civil disobedience, and when he was prosecuted in Quebec in 1973, 1975 and 1976, all three juries refused to convict him as a criminal. In 1976 a newly elected Parti Quebecois government refused to continue with the prosecutions of Dr. Morgentaler, and English Canadian activism subsided because the new government promised there would be no further cases brought before the Court for violation of Section 251. Although Section 251 was a federal law, cases were prosecuted in the provinces. Abortion was de-criminalized, but women continued to fight in Quebec for better access to abortion services and for public medical insurance coverage for abortions done in clinics and health centers."
Abstract This paper discusses the issue of legalabortions and human rights. It is an argumentative paper that begins discussion of Roe v. Wade, and the core of the abortion issue - human rights. The paper further discusses the role of women in society, the abortion issue from a global perspective, and the final decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. The conclusion is that abortion rights are equal to human rights, and the rights of women that have been ignored for centuries.
From the Paper "On January 22, 1973 one of the most controversial decisions in United States Supreme Court history was delivered by Justice Blackmun in Roe v. Wade ("Roe v. Wade"). Roe, a pregnant Texas woman, sought an abortion. She was told, however, that in her home State of Texas abortions were illegal unless the attending physician believed that the pregnancy posed a severe threat to the life of the mother. In Roe's case it did not. Yet, Roe felt that having an abortion should be her decision, not one that should be made by a physician, judge, or court ("Roe v. Wade"). She held that terminating a pregnancy was a personal and intimate decision. It was one which no person other than the expectant mother should have the right to make."
This paper focuses strictly on the physical standpoint of abortion, as opposed to the moral and legal aspects, in which the writer proves why abortion should not be allowed to exist.
Abstract The writer of this paper does not dwell on the moral, religious or legal platform of abortion, yet focuses on the debatable issue from a strictly physical standpoint. This paper defines abortion as the knowing destruction of the life of an unborn child or the intentional expulsion or removal of an unborn child from the womb. This paper discusses the pros and cons regarding the availability of the RU-486 abortion pill as well as other abortion procedures. The RU-486 pill, which can be used within the first eight weeks of pregnancy, is a milestone to the abortion coalition. This paper examines the argument surrounding the viability of an unborn fetus in which the generally accepted rule for viability is around 28 weeks.
From the Paper "Cases have been reported of babies born four months premature, and weighing only one pound, nine ounces, surviving. If the abortion advocates could see what was being murdered they may not take it so lightly. For example, Cheryl Kondroski was 21 weeks pregnant when it was discovered that her baby had a very serious heart problem. After further testing showed that there was absolutely no chance of the baby even surviving the pregnancy, the decision was made to terminate the pregnancy. Labor was induced, and the little boy was born. Cheryl and the father were allowed to hold the baby. He was approximately 8 ? inches long and weighed a little over 1? pounds. Cheryl said, "His ears were still glued to his head. His eyes were shut, but his mouth was open. Everything, even fingernails and hair on his face, was there." Can anyone see this experience and still say that because this child could not survive on its own it was not a real child? Absolutely not."
Abstract In this article, the writer explains that an abortion is the termination of a pregnancy associated with the death of an embryo or a fetus. The writer discusses issues related to abortion and argues that women have the right to have the abortion procedure done in a healthy and safe manner, pointing out that if a woman wants an abortion badly enough, she will find a way to do it whether the method is safe or unsafe. The writer concludes that the legalization of abortion has saved many lives because abortions are now performed in safe environments and this is reason enough alone to make the procedure legal.
From the Paper "Unwanted pregnancy can result in a horrible life for the child in question. Many people who don't want children and are forced to have them end up being horrible, abusive parents. Why should society hold the burden of forcing a woman to bring an unwanted child into the world? Many cases have occurred where an unwanted child is born and then abused by his parents and therefore ends up living in foster care until he is old enough to get out. It is so ironic that because of society, many unwanted children were born and as a result, these children have become society's problems, but when it comes to taking care of these children who were forced into life, society does not do much to take care of them. How can people expect women to carry the burden of having a child against her will and then when she finally does give birth, tells her to go ahead and live with it? Was it her choice to carry this baby to term? Shouldn't those forcing her to have the child do everything necessary to make sure this child grows up in a safe
environment? Technically, it was not her choice to have the child, so why should she have to hold the burden to raise it, and why should this innocent baby fall victim to a life full of resentment from his mother?"
Abstract This paper, written as a "citizen's action guide" to abortion, takes an in-depth look at abortion in America. The paper discusses the history of abortion in America, legal aspects, political positions, and medical aspects. It also discusses abortion as a women's issue and examines the raging debate that continues to surround the controversial topic.
History of Abortion Spotlight on Abortion The Road to Legalization: U.S. Supreme Court Decisions
The President, George W. Bush, on Abortion Previous Presidents on Abortion Political Parties on Abortion The Issue: Is a Fetus a Viable Human Being?
A Women's Issue: Quality of Life
The Continuing Debate
From the Paper "Sherri Finkbine, an Arizona woman pregnant with her fifth child, became concerned about the side effects of thalidomide that she had ingested (brought back by her husband after a trip overseas). Finkbine consulted her physician, who advised her to have an abortion. In Arizona at the time, "therapeutic" abortions were approved based on the attending physician writing a note to a three-doctor medical board explaining the justification for the procedure. Believing that publicizing her thalidomide trauma might alert others in similar situations, Finkbine contacted the editor of her local paper with the story, on the condition that her name be withheld. The ensuing public controversy over the issue resulted in Finkbine being denied a legal abortion in the United States, "Finkbine found herself unable, even after bringing a court challenge, to have an abortion legally. She was ultimately forced to go to Sweden to obtain a legal abortion" (Tribe, p.37). Although approval at the Swedish clinic was not automatic, Finkbine and her husband were able to withstand an extensive series of interviews with social workers, psychiatrists, and obstetricians and obtain the abortion. Finkbine's tenacity was rewarded when a Swedish physician described the condition of the aborted fetus: "He decisively stated that it was not a baby but an abnormal growth that would never be a normal child . . . " (Finkbine, p. 71)."
Abstract This paper contends that few topics in American politics are more explosive and more divisive than abortion. It explains that although the legal history of abortion is relatively short, it is complicated and continues to be actively debated and pursued by activists on both sides of the argument: pro-choice activists are refocusing their fight to achieve greater access to abortions for all women and pro-life activists, while combating these new pro-abortion pursuits, continue to fight for an overturning of the original decision that led to the legalization of abortion, Roe v. Wade. This paper reviews a representation of the literature on the abortion debate, as well as the legal history and moral debate.
From the Paper "More than thirty years after Roe the jury is still out. Few topics in American politics are more explosive and more divisive than abortion. Perhaps this is because it encompasses a vast combination of one's constitutional rights, moral issues, religious belief .."
Abstract This paper delves into the legal, ethical and religious aspects surrounding abortion, while also focusing on the feminist view of this hotly-debate topic. The writer of this paper traces the roots of the abortion debate back to Susan B. Anthony. Anthony opposed abortion because the medical procedure, in her time, was unsafe and endangered a woman's health and life. This paper examines how feminists today defend the development of safe and effective birth control as a means to prevent abortion. This paper also looks at the views of various feminist organizations such as Feminists for Life and Feminists Against Abortion. This paper discusses the media's impact in the evolution of the "Pro-Choice" and "Pro-Life" movements. This paper also discusses how the laws regarding legalabortions have changed over the past 40 years. In 1965, all 50 states banned the procedure, with some exceptions. In 1973, The Supreme Court reversed the situation in the case of Roe vs. Wade, declaring most existing state abortion laws unconstitutional. The writer of this paper explores the issue of abortion in various religions, including Judaism and the different Christian sects. While those of the Catholic faith do not believe that abortion is an acceptable solution to undesired pregnancies, they do accept that there may be situations when an abortion must be considered. This paper also touches on the ethical side, where many believe that abortions should only be considered when the life of the mother is at stake. However, shades of grey enter into the picture when other reasons are offered as well, as detailed in this paper.
From the Paper "Although those of the Catholic faith do not believe that abortion is an acceptable solution to undesired pregnancies, they do accept that there may be situations when an abortion takes place as the outcome of trying to deal with another medical issue. For example, the Church would allow "the doctrine of double effect" if the mother requires a life-saving operation that may possibly end the pregnancy, since it is the first priority to save the woman's life rather than end the pregnancy.
Many Protestant denominations including the Anglicans, Methodists and Quakers have been disinclined to be as strict as the Catholic Church. Frequently, they accept that there are certain occasions when abortion is an unavoidable result of deciding between the "lesser of two evils."
To further complicate the issue, explains Ellingson, there is even disagreement among the Catholics and among the Protestants. "It is not just a Catholic and Protestant Debate."
Abstract This paper begins with a discussion of the way abortion has been regarded throughout different periods and governments in history. It then goes on to look at the legal and ethical questions surrounding the issue of abortion and to examine some of the arguments presented both in favor of and in opposition to the legalization of abortion. The paper concludes with the author of the paper taking a position that favors legalizedabortion.
From the Paper "What will the world say? That the Americans cannot articulate, legislatively, that human life is expensive, that an infant's life is possibly the most valuable of all other lives, as well as that the American people want to make sure that women are positioned in an "ethical" atmosphere in which judgments on the subject of life and death are taken sincerely and dealt with as matters of ethical seriousness. A lot of women, maybe most, by now treat this matter as an ethically serious subject, however, many do not, it is for them a structure of birth control, and even those who do might not, forever, evidently see, and therefore fully sense, what is at risk. Let them and others see it and then act accordingly to help womanhood."
Abstract An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy associated with the death of an embryo or a fetus. This paper focuses on induced abortion and argues that a woman has a right to choose whether to have a baby or not. It discusses how legalizedabortion will prevent deaths from illegal, unsanitary abortions. It also argues that the civil rights of Canada give freedom to every individual and therefore should give women the right to choose.
From the Paper "Unwanted pregnancy can result in a horrible life for the child in question. Many people who don't want children and are forced to have them end up being horrible, abusive parents. Why should society hold the burden of forcing a woman to bring an unwanted child into the world? Many cases have occurred where an unwanted child is born and then abused by his parents and therefore ends up living in foster care until he is old enough to get out. It is so ironic that because of society, many unwanted children were born and as a result, these children have become society's problems, but when it comes to taking care of these children who were forced into life, society does not do much to take care of them. "
Abstract This paper examines the controversial debate over abortion in the United States, as well as the medical aspects of the procedure. The author discusses the difference between induced and spontaneous abortion, alternatives to surgery, the option of adoption, and various abortion rates on a global scale.
From the paper:
"In this day and age, women no longer need to experience giving birth to a child at all. With the legality of abortion, came the option of staying pregnant and giving birth or terminating the pregnancy in the early stages. Abortion is a highly controversial and personal decision. A decision that requires a lot of time for thought. The issue has brought upon a real life tug-of-war match between the pro-lifers and pro-choices. Those who support pro-life beliefs feel that abortion should be abolished and that the laws are too lenient. Those who support pro-choice believe that the decision should lie solely with the mother and laws should not limit her options."
Abstract This paper presents an argument against the legality of abortion, refuting three main claims of the pro-choice movement: 1) that a fetus is not a human being, 2) that abortion is an acceptable means of birth control, and 3) that legalabortion is integral to women's autonomy. It cites a range of sources, including the Medline database articles, several books, news services, and the World Medical Association website.
