Today has been a very emotional day for many people, particularly if you are a woman in the United States. Before I get into the heart of what I want to say, I think we should all stop and congratulate all the people who believe that the overturn of Roe vs Wade was a good thing. How lucky you must be that you never personally felt the anguish and torment of having to decide whether or not to have an abortion. Better yet, how lucky you are that you knew no one else that was put in that particularly hard position, and you never had to show any empathy for that situation. Let’s not get this twisted, abortion is always a choice, it’s just never an easy one.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the national rape-related pregnancy rate is approximately 5% per rape among women aged 12–45 years, or approximately 32,000 pregnancies resulting from rape each year. So, are we ready to disregard 32,000 pregnancies because it’s such a “small” number? Who cares about them? Keep in mind this is just the
number for rape, it does not include incestual encounters. What I also find
even more troubling is that these women who have been through no doubt a
traumatic situation are now guilty because they did not “take care”
of the situation right away. Why are we expecting women who have been
assaulted, abused and invaded to now have the strength and wherewithal to
handle such a grave situation within 24-48 hours (DNC timeline)?

Of course, sexual assault is not the only way a woman is forced to face this difficult situation. Again, how lucky are those who never had to contemplate their life against the life of their own child. How lucky are those who never received the soul crushing news that their baby is dying within them, or “better” yet in pain inside the womb. I have only had successful pregnancies, and healthy children. I do not know what it must be like to hear the news that my child has Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 2 OI. I cannot imagine picturing my baby growing inside of me all the while their tiny bones breaking within me and feeling pain. However, even though I have never been in the situation I can feel for those women who have. While I will never fully understand the gravity of their pain, I can empathize with their situation.

I think the last situation is the one that angers me the most. The teenage pregnancy. Well, she asked for it. She wasn’t being careful. Now granted I am not sure what science class you took, but I do believe she wasn’t alone in getting pregnant. And yet she will be the one carrying the baby for 9 months. Perhaps if we put a tracker on every male so when a there is an unwanted pregnancy the male automatically is given a vasectomy. I mean if the girl is forced to live her life with decision she made, shouldn’t he? People are so
quick to talk about consequences. But living through that moment is that not a consequence in itself?

As I type this, we have yet to even have a peaceful conversation about gun violence within our schools due to the rights of those who get to “bear arms”, but my rights as a woman and my health have been jeopardize today. So, congratulations Supreme Court, while you have undoubtedly put women in the future into fragile, life-threatening situations, we can still send our kids to school hoping it will not get shot up.