Warning--Serious Post Ahead

Everyone knows that I try to stay away from anything overly serious, but something has been bugging me for a month or so and I have to share my opinion with you. It is my opinion, so please feel free to disagree...

I am Pro-choice. That means that I believe that all women have the right to make their own decisions. It doesn't mean that I would choose to have an abortion, but I feel I have no right to tell any other woman how to make that decision. I also don't think anyone else has the right to tell a woman what she should or shouldn't do.

That being said, I must comment on a supreme disappointment in my State Legislators.

Recently our legislators voted to pass a bill that requires all women seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound, have a physician review the ultrasound with them and provide them with images from that ultrasound. This new section of KRS 311.710 TO 311.820 states that women can avert their eyes from them images if they want to, but the physician has to provide the images to them. It also states that these requirements can be waived only in the event of a medical emergency that must be documented in the woman's medical records.

I have problems with this new law for numerous reasons. First of all, I think the decision to have an abortion is an emotional one to begin with. Forcing a woman to have an ultrasound and providing her with verbal (the required physician's review) and visual (the images) evidence of the fetus is harsh. No one can be inside a woman's head when she makes this decision. We don't know why she is making the choice, but we need to respect the fact that she has a reason. To try to guilt her into keeping the child is a tactic that I think is very disturbing. And, yes, I think that is what this law tries to do. Guilt women into keeping a child that she doesn't think she can support. How can anyone but the woman know what is best for her and her unborn child?

Yes, I know there are options (adoption, etc.) for the child if the woman changes her mind, but what if the woman is a drug addict or drinks constantly? Would that be one of the "medical emergencies' that allows a physician to fore go the ultrasound and the verbal review? What about a woman who was raped and is pregnant by her assailant? Would she have to listen to the review of the ultrasound and possibly look at ultrasound pictures?

I fear that if states and the nation continue along this path, abortions will, once again, become an illegal procedure. Although some people will agree with this decisions, we all need to remember that even when abortions were illegal, women still found a way to make the decision and some of them were not pleasant. (In the midst of this serious post, I can't help thinking of Dirty Dancing and the abortion that Penny had...and I think of how horrible it would be if women had to choose that route once again.)

This is such a touchy subject, and I am aware that many people may not agree with me, but I also know that I have been upset about this decision since it was made. I hope that those of you who disagree with me can still respect me as a fellow blogger...I am just not one who can hold in my opinions. If you agree with this new state law, I will not judge you or have anything less than respect for you.

I guess this is the beauty of America--we are all entitled to our opinions and we are all entitled to voice those opinions. Please let me know what you think of this new development...I want to hear what you have to say.