FORCED PREGNANCY EQUALS SLAVERY
Think that’s an extreme view? Consider the definition of “slave” from Merriam-Webster: “one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence.”
When a person’s body autonomy is taken away they become a slave to the one who has taken that autonomy away. A government which forces a woman to continue a pregnancy she does not choose to continue has, by removing her body autonomy, made her a slave to that government.
Recently enacted laws have been crafted for the sole purpose of reversing Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court 7-2 decision ruling unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion was unconstitutional, and that the right to privacy was implicit in the constitution. While I find this in itself disturbing, I believe such a precedent of taking away a woman’s body autonomy also violates the 13th Amendment banning slavery.
Forcing a woman to carry a pregnancy she does not consent to carry, devalues her as a human being, denigrating her to the status of incubator. A legislator in Oklahoma was quoted to say that once pregnant, no woman should have any control over her body because at that point she is “just a host”. Do we really want the law of the land to be that pregnant women are the property of the State? Because that’s what a lack of body autonomy means. The question is not the morality of abortion – it is the morality of forcing anyone to do something with their body against their will.
If you’re in an accident and have a rare blood type, should the State make blood donation mandatory? If your child develops Leukemia, should the State require people be tested and compel a match to donate their bone marrow? What if you need a kidney? Should the State force someone to give you one? Abortion opponents claim the embryo is a human life. Isn’t the person with kidney disease or Leukemia? You may think this sounds outrageous, but it is essentially the same lack of body autonomy as forcing a woman to continue a pregnancy against her will.
This country declared slavery unconstitutional, and fought a war because slavery was wrong on every level. Slaves who were in bondage were granted body autonomy and freed. Women deserve the same. It really is that simple.