This is the third in an article series responding to commonly used pro-abortion slogans.
As I mentioned in my previous articles, the recent debate in Austin, Texas, over an expansive legislative prolife bill revealed some of the most common and misunderstood pro-abortion arguments. From T-shirts to placards, pro-abortion supporters plastered the Texas State Capitol building with familiar pro-choice slogans that have been used for 40 years: “Abortion Is a Women’s Issue,” “My Body, My Choice,” “Make Every Child a Wanted Child,” and “No More Rape Babies.”
Last week, I discussed the fallacy in labeling abortion as strictly a women’s issue. Let’s move on to discuss the errors found in another pro-abortion slogan.
One of the most common arguments used to support abortion is that of bodily autonomy. It’s more commonly known by the pithy mantra “My Body, My Choice.”
On the surface this argument appears difficult to debunk. After all, America is the land of opportunity. We celebrate choice and champion individual freedoms in our country. Therefore, it seems only reasonable to allow a woman to choose when to have a baby.
The fact is, most people support a woman’s right to do what she wants with her own body. I know I do. A woman should be allowed to choose if she wants to dye her hair pink, wear makeup, or eat meat. She should be allowed to choose whether or not she wants to play competitive sports, watch TV, go to work, or spend time with friends.
And the list goes on.
You see, as an American who advocates for both the sanctity of life and individual freedom, I fully support a woman’s right to choose . . . when that choice affects her body—and only her body—and isn’t destructive to her or to others.
And this is where the catchy slogan of “My Body, My Choice” breaks down.
A pregnant woman can no longer claim that what she does to her body affects only her own body. She now has another human being living inside of her. Embryological science tells us that this tiny human has its own distinctive genetic code from the moment of fertilization. Within 18 days of conception, it has a beating heart, 10 fingers, and 10 toes. And by the fifth week, the baby’s brain, spinal cord, and other organs are rapidly developing.
While pro-abortion supporters want us to focus on the mother, science compels us to do otherwise. We must also consider the unborn human being living inside of her.
Abortion affects both the woman and the unborn child. And, sadly, the end result for the child is always deadly. When a woman chooses to abort her child, she infringes on that child’s right to life, as well as his or her right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
So while I am in full support of a woman’s right to choose—and that includes the choice to engage in sexual activity that may lead to pregnancy—that right ends at the point where it infringes upon the rights of another human being. As I’ve said before, abortion is the ultimate breach of another human being’s individual rights.
Finally, even pro-abortion supporters who wholeheartedly believe women should have complete autonomy over their bodies agree that we have to draw the line somewhere. That’s why there are laws in our society limiting drug use or, in some extreme cases, soda consumption. That’s why there are so many alcoholic recovery programs and drug rehabilitation centers in our country. Clearly, even the most ardent pro-abortion supporters believe there are limits on what we should allow another individual to do to their own bodies.
At Human Coalition, we believe no one truly owns his or her own body. We believe God ordains and sustains life, and only He has the authority to end it. Therefore, we work tirelessly to reach abortion-determined women and men with the truth about life and abortion.
Using best-in-class technology combined with compassion and grace, we rescue families from the ravages of abortion. And as of this article, 1,085 babies have been saved! So we invite you to join us in this effort. Through your support, the truth about abortion is shared, innocent unborn babies are rescued, and families are preserved.
Make a difference today and give to Human Coalition.
To read more about our mission and how we help women and men in crisis pregnancies, please visit the Human Coalition website.