Friends,
We can dramatically reduce the incidence of abortion in the US without passing a single abortion ban.
I am sure that we can all agree that sex > un-planned pregnancy > leads to abortion. Let's intervene productively.
We have a lot to talk about, so let's prioritize. Let's solve some of the many problems that contribute to abortion and unwanted=unplanned pregnancy.
We, as a nation and a people, have to have:
+ End the stigma. Churches, families, communities, schools have the capacity to do that today.
That stigma is mightily enforced by religious prohibitions against sexual activity and by religious conventions and mores.
And, it is unfairly applied. Men can escape the stigma - and, many do. Women cannot. How many women have abortions because of shame.
+ Sex education for everyone. It has to be fairly detailed. Shame free. Easily accessible.
Churches, families, schools all have the capacity to develop and offer excellent sex education that includes consent.
Just listening to our members of congress speak, it is clear that adults are woefully ignorant about sexuality and sexual health and functioning.
+ We must provide free and easily obtainable birth control. Make vasectomies free. Make tubal ligations free.
+ The US must have health care policies that value the lives of women and children and that are reflected in our health care statistics. Right now the US ranks very high on infant and mother mortality compared to other developed countries. So, show us the love of life.
* The US must have universal health care - Medicare for All.
*We must make Ob/Gyn coverage a requirement of all health insurance policies for women and contraception coverage for men until we have Medicare for All.
* Employer provided health insurance must be required to provide Ob/Gyn coverage for women including contraception and must include contraception for men (vasectomies, condoms, etc) until we have Medicare for All.
* We must fund research into the causes of mother and infant mortality or, it isn't really about "life," is it.
* Our country must provide obstetrical/gynecological care for all women so that they have safety and security for an unplanned pregnancy.
* We must provide nutritional programs for pregnant women and children so that women can afford not to have an abortion.
+ Stop health care professionals from refusing to provide services that are within the scope of their profession so that women can avoid unwanted pregnancy.
No one should enter a profession if they don't want to provide the services that are within the scope of that profession.
+ Stop the attacks on Planned Parenthood. In fact we should support Planned Parenthood and use it as a model of service provision.
Planned Parenthood prevents more abortions and any anti-abortion rally every could.
+ We have to provide a much better safety net for women. Poverty is now a major factor in the decision to have an abortion. In addition to excellent health care services, in order to reduce abortions, we must:
* Provide housing and transportation assistance
* Make nutritional support available for mothers and children
* Provide job counseling, training, and education aimed at employability and earning living wages
* Make child-care subsidies available
+ Create equality for men and women: Equal responsibilities; equal consequences; equal expectations; etc.
* Hold men responsible immediately. Child/maternal support begins with conception.
* Allow men to put their partner on their health insurance policies and any other benefits that a married couple would have.
+ Dramatically increase the investigations of rape reports, the numbers of arrests, the numbers of prosecutions, and the severity of sentences.
Rape has ruined the lives of many women. The consequences to the perpetrators needs to be commensurate with the pain and damages to the victims.
+ Again, we must end the stigma. That stigma is mightily enforced by religious prohibitions against sexual activity. And, it is unfairly applied. Men can escape the stigma - and, many do. Women cannot. How many women have abortions because of shame.
I am looking forward to lots of changes in the discussion of abortion!
Love, Vivian
