Right to life or pro choice?

[stui magpie]

I thought this would be an intersting topic to poll. Hopefully we can do it without degenerating to personal abuse.

My definition of pro choice is supporting the right of a woman to have an abortion if she wants to. If she gets pregnant and she doesn't want to have the baby, for whatever reasons (I don't want to analyse the reasons) she should be able to choose to have an abortion if that's what SHE wants.

There are all sorts of different arguments about what when and why, so I'm deliberately trying to simplify it as much as possible.

You may be personally against abortion. That's not the question. The question is, whether you would support the right of someone else who may or may not share your moral stance to have an abortion or would you deny them that right.

I support the right of women to chose in this instance. Naturally there are medical and legal constraints around timing. My understanding is that the current law (unless it's changed since about 1988) is that if a child is born dead prior to 20 weeks gestation, it's considered a "spontaneous abortion" or miscarriage. After 20 weeks, it's a still birth. Prior to 20 weeks, it's not considered to be a baby. (although I've held a 20 week fetus of my still born son in my hands and it sure looked like a baby to me).

So the current law again as I understand it is to restrict abortions to less than 20 weeks unless there are serious compelling circumstances. That part is up for the doctors and lawyers to decide, I won't go there.

So, that's the question. Do yopu support the right of a woman to choose to have an abortion. Yes or No. If anyone thinks I've mangled the definition of "pro choice" or oversimplified the question here, let's discuss it.

[EBB]

20 weeks or less? Ok 20 weeks is half the life of a new born.

Interesting when you say "My definition of pro choice is supporting the right of a woman to terminate an unwanted pregnancy".

[stui magpie]

What's interesting about it? Isn't that what it is, terminating a pregnancy?We're on a different wavelength, I'm not picking up your meaning.

And 20 weeks is half the term of the normal pregnancy. It's not a "new born" until it's actually born and as I stated up front, in the eyes of the law it's not a baby until after 20 weeks gestation.

[HAL]

"it" being have fun sharing a cell with some 200kg blokes with tatts on their face and no sense of humour?

[EBB]

[EBB]

Stui, that poll is silly.

[OEP]

I support women's right to have abortions.

You've brought up a ripper here Stui, there's gonna be some blood spilt on this thread.

Abortion is still not a legal procedure (in W.A.), at least not volutary ones. At the moment Doctors and those women wanting an abortion are getting around this by stating medical issues or complications require the termination of the pregnancy.

[stui magpie]

[bucksisgod]

I am wholeheartedly Pro Choice.
EBB, what are your thoughts on this:

A woman is brutally raped by one of society's scumbags. She falls pregnant because of this. She feels repulsed by the thought of giving birth to this animals child and wants to terminate the pregnancy.

Does she have this right, EBB?

[Proud Pies]

if you do a search i think there was a thread last year that was started by Joffa on this very subject.

[EBB]

[EBB]

By the way, I'm sure there are many decent citizens walking the streets lucky enough, to have not been "terminated" at birth.

[stui magpie]

[EBB]

[stui magpie]