While it might seem that Anti-Abortion extremists disrespect women, since they are trying to control what women do with their their bodies, prioritizing procreative function, their anti-abortion fervor actually protects and promotes girls, in a weird way.
Imagine a society with a strong preference for men, a preference for baby boys, for “sons” – then imagine that same society without the stigma against abortion, where abortion is considered a free choice that anyone (woman or family) can make, for any reason.
You would have a culture where many of these son-preferring folks would exercise their freedom to choose, by selectively aborting female fetuses in favor of bringing male fetuses to term.
You would have India
“…The shortfall in the number of girls under six compared to boys has risen sharply from 4.2 million in 1991 to six million in 2001 and 7.1 million this year.”
You would have China
“In 2005 , they found, births of boys in China exceeded births of girls by more than 1.1 million. There were 120 boys born for every 100 girls.
…The trend toward more male than female children intensified steadily after 1986, they said, as ultrasound tests and abortion became more available. “Sex-selective abortion accounts for almost all the excess males,” the paper said.
The researchers, who analyzed data from a 2005 census, said the disparity was widest among children ages 1 to 4, a sign that the greatest imbalances among the adult population lie ahead.”
I want us to move towards a society where women will be given equal opportunity and prestige. I think women should absolutely have reproductive autonomy. However, given the pervasive misogyny, er, “preference” for men in our culture (even among women), I think having a stigma against abortion is far preferable to having low or no cultural barriers to abortion. This is especially true of the anti-abortion extremists who already see women as 2nd-class citizens – let them oppose abortion, I say.
Can you imagine a world with 20% more men than women? That’s what’s going to happen in India and China, the 2 largest countries by population in the world. This is a scary thought! Let’s hope that doesn’t ever happen in the USA.
Misogyny minus Abortion = Lady Positive?
Culture Thinks Boys Best
More Girls Saved By Anti-Choice
Baby Equity
I reworked the above haiku as:
“Our Patriarchy Is Better Than Theirs”
anti-choice saves girls:
parents prefer baby boys
but want any child