The topic of reproductive rights is perhaps one of the most polarizing controversies in the United States, specifically at this very moment in time. In my lifetime, I have seen the overturning of one of the most well-known major court cases, Roe v Wade. The overturning of this case came as a shock to me, but ultimately not much of a surprise due to seeing the political turmoil surrounding the case in recent years. It seemed no matter what news channel I saw, each week there was something new related to Roe v Wade.
Throughout my adolescence, I have been on both sides of this very divisive discussion. Being raised in the Catholic Church, I believed myself to be pro-life for some time, sheerly from what I was told and shown in my schools. My first year of high school, my school even went on a trip to Washington DC for a pro-life march, which I attended for extra credit points and involvement in clubs. It was after this rally that I began to examine what beliefs I truly held, and began to discern the difference between what I truly thought was right and what was being told to me.
At this moment in life, I am no longer pro-life and believe that access to reproductive rights is one of the most important issues that we must fight for. I do not believe any woman should be denied life-saving care and if they truly desire a form of care, they should be provided it, honoring their bodily autonomy. My freshman year, I realized it was finally time to think for myself and truly question what I supporting. As I have grown and have a greater understanding of what it means to take control of your reproductive rights, I wholeheartedly believe that the issue of abortion is not as black and white as I was taught it to be. Because of my involvement in my faith, I plainly see the separation between church and state that is needed in this issue. While I may make certain choices for myself, I would never in a million years force that same decision onto another person regardless of their religion.
As someone who has changed their beliefs after examining what they were truly supporting and factoring in that my prior beliefs were only what I was raised being told, I believe that we as people cannot be so aggressive with condemnation of others that don’t align with us. If we are so black and white, we lose sight of what being human means- making mistakes. Guiding another individual with kindness and encouraging true debate is the way to actively engage in discourse regarding beliefs and changing them. However, this again is extremely divisive as it depends on the severity of the issue and what an individual is doing with their belief.
Overall, what maturing has taught me is to truly examine my beliefs and determine if I see concrete value in them and actually align with them. Though this story may sound dumb, because all I did was finally begin to think for myself, it has truly been a hallmark of my life. We must support and encourage young generations to find what they believe in to wholeheartedly support.
You did an excellent job addressing a very controversial issue! I completely agree with your perspective that, regardless of how any individual feels, it seems dystopian to enforce any religion’s beliefs onto a woman by forcing her to deliver a baby. While there is so much nuance in the issue, it almost seems as if the whole concept of forced birth should be where the discussion stops. Your faith clearly means a lot to you, and it’s admirable how you’ve been able to figure out a way that your religion can work in your life while following your personal morals! I’ve really enjoyed reading these blogs!
You did amazing on this entry! Being raised Catholic, I had a lot of people pushing me towards pro-life, however, it just never settled within my body to agree to deny women the healthcare that they desire. While abortion may not be my first choice of action with an unwanted pregnancy, I have zero say in what other women choose to do. Whether I keep or they keep, we don’t impact one another’s ability to birth our own child, and I feel like that is what people avoid thinking about. This topic is so controversial, but you did a really good job avoiding politics and explaining how you found a belief in yourself despite it differing from what you were raised.
I think that you addressed this issue in a good way. I enjoyed how you have been on both sides of the argument and have seen both sides and have still come to your conclusion. As people we are growing and changing all the time and our communities play a large role in what we believe and what we support. It is good to see that you were able to form your own beliefs based on your own thoughts and feelings instead of simply following what you were told.