By: Mason Benovy

In a country that prides itself on freedom, the United States has many citizens eager to take away a woman’s basic right to her body. Being pro-choice is the only logical stance for someone who believes in equality. It does not mean you are “pro-abortion”, it means you think women should have the choice to do what they see fit. There are a variety of reasons why a woman would think abortion is the right choice for them. Rape, incest, getting pregnant at a young age, being a single mother, or not being physically fit to carry a child to term are all real and valid reasons as to why a woman would choose abortion.

1. Adoption isn’t always the answer. In response to women wanting an abortion, many pro-life people claim adoption is the best alternate route, but is it really? With nearly 400,000 children in state custody, and less than half having plans for a permanent home, adoption is not always the right choice. On top of this, carrying an unwanted child for nine months can have an extensive amount of physical and emotional side effects. On top of the typical side effects, such as morning sickness, swollen feet, weight gain, etc. there are many risks a pregnant woman faces, including depression, high blood pressure, hepatitis B, influenza, and many more.
2. Church has no place in government. Another reason pro-life advocates say abortion should be illegal is because it goes against God’s word. In a country that is supposed to have a separate state and church, using religion as a way to change a law is blasphemy (pun intended).
3. Abortion is not illegal. In a court case in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court declared abortion a fundamental right. The 7-2 decision stated that the Constitution gives “a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy,” and that, “this right of privacy…is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.”
4. Taking away a woman’s choice will put her in danger. Making abortion illegal would not stop abortions, but would merely make them more costly and dangerous. In the late 1800’s early 1900’s, when abortion was illegal in the United States, the ability of a woman to obtain an abortion, let alone one that was safe, depended upon her economic situation, race, and where she lived. Making it illegal will not only take away the rights of women, but put them in danger too.
5. Women who receive abortions are less likely to suffer mental health problems than women who are denied abortions. In a study done in 2013 by the American Psychological Association it was shown that after an abortion, 95 percent of women felt that abortion was the right decision. A majority of women that were denied abortions said they felt regret and anger. Both of these things can lead to serious mental health issues for both the mother and child.
6. Abortion reduces welfare cost to taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan federal agency, looked at a possible bill that would ban all abortions nationwide after 20 weeks of pregnancy. What they found is the resulting additional births would increase the federal debt by $225 million over nine years, because of the increased need for Medicaid coverage. Medicaid in the United States is a social health care program for families and individuals with low income and limited resources.

The United States is supposed to be the land of the free. To take away someone’s right to their body, their life, and their right to make decisions about what they feel is best for them is completely hypocritical.