Guest post: Abortion Abolitionists
A Disturbing New Trend
❇️ Guest Post: Margie Gilles is a former social worker concerned about the future of the younger generations. In the below piece, Gilles shares her reflections upon the “abortion abolitionist” movement.
A segment of the anti-abortion movement even more radical than the original, self-named “Pro-Life” movement is gaining steam. Co-opting both the language of equality and the legacy of the abolitionists who worked toward ending chattel slavery, those in this segment of the anti-reproductive rights movement refer to themselves as “Abortion Abolitionists.” There are several reasons for this choice of nomenclature.
It relieves them of the criticism that they are not “Pro-life” when they don’t support policies that help people live. They can continue to advocate forced births without supporting policies that will actually help families, such as living wages, food assistance, medical care, affordable housing, and education.
The terminology allows adherents to distinguish themselves from the broader “Pro-life” movement, which they disdain.
The terminology ties their movement to the anti-slavery movement, which provides adherents with a sense of moral superiority while sometimes accusing Black Americans that support reproductive autonomy of “hat[ing] [their] own people.” Knowing that most Americans believe that slavery was morally wrong, “abortion abolitionists” attempt to tie their movement to one that most people support.
Like the wider movement against reproductive rights, abortion abolitionists are pushing the concept of “fetal personhood,” an idea that espouses that human life begins the moment an egg is fertilized by a sperm, and that a fertilized egg has the same legal rights as born people. This concept is not supported in any original religious teachings. After all, at the time these texts were written, there was no way of knowing when a sperm fertilized an egg. Fetal personhood is also not supported by modern science, as science can not answer the eternal, metaphysical question of when life begins, nor the philosophical and legal questions involved in the bestowal of legal rights.
The new “abortion abolitionist” movement looks to control all aspects of women’s lives. From medical care to what women eat, drink, amount of exercise, to jobs, this new movement wants to stop women of childbearing age from participating in all activities that cause or MAY CAUSE HARM to a fetus. The premise is simple. According to them, life begins at the moment an egg is fertilized by a sperm. No woman knows when that happens. And all women can be the victim of sexual assault. Therefore, any restrictions can and will be applied to all persons of childbearing age, which is now about 8-to-50 years old.
Abortion abolitionists’ extreme positions have radical implications.
Criminalizing pregnant people under the guise of “equal protection”
As Prism summarizes, “Say hello to the so-called ‘abolitionist’ movement, comprised [mostly] of white men who say the pro-life movement is too secular, abortion constitutes homicide, and that people seeking abortion care should be criminalized and subject to the death penalty. This ideology is largely informed by longtime anti-abortion leaders with ties to militia movements. While this may sound like a fringe group, their movement is gaining steam and political power in abortion battleground states like Oklahoma, Texas, and Indiana—and there is serious cause for concern. Not only do they advocate for bills that would make it possible to subject people to death for having an abortion, but the movement’s leaders are influenced by—and work alongside—men who once signed a statement that framed the murder of abortion providers as ‘justifiable homicide.’”
For years, the anti-choice movement has stated the child should not be punished for the sins of the “father,” also known as the rapist. It does not matter that the person who was violated must endure 9 months of pregnancy, delivery, & potentially raising a child they never wanted. Now, “abortion abolitionists” are extending this to women who have life-threatening pregnancy complications. Repeated diatribes that women should be willing to sacrifice themselves for their “child” even when the women’s death will mean the fetus will never be born alive, is now a mantra.
Redefine and ban birth control as “abortifacients” (including Plan B, hormonal birth control pills, IDUs, the Cervical Ring, etc.)
When one considers life begins at the moment a sperm penetrates an egg, anything that prevents a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterine wall gets labeled an “abortifacient”. Since many forms of hormonal birth control have a secondary or tertiary mechanism of action which makes it unlikely for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus, all these methods could be made illegal.
IVF produces more fertilized eggs than needed for a pregnancy for a variety of reasons. From the grueling medical procedures a women must endure for egg harvesting & implementation, to the number of eggs that are not viable, to people who choose IVF so they will not pass genetic abnormalities to their children, all blastocysts will be considered “persons” and not be allowed to be discarded. This will make IVF practically unfeasible.
Ban all medical procedures that cause or MAY CAUSE HARM to a fetus, including treatment of ectopic pregnancies
When a fertilized egg is determined to be a human life, it takes on the same status of a living, breathing human being. From women being denied X-rays, PET/CAT scans to cancer treatments & medications if pregnant or MAY BECOME pregnant, this has the potential to end virtually ALL medical treatment to women of childbearing years. Nearly every single medication on the market has a warning: Do not take if pregnant or planning to become pregnant. At this point, it no longer matters if a woman plans to become pregnant. Female Lupus patients have been denied medications that manage their condition for years simply because those medications may cause an abortion.
Criminalize miscarriages
50-80 % of all fertilized eggs never implant into and beneath the uterine wall because the cells fail to divide. Of the remaining 30-50 % of fertilized eggs that do implant, ~40 % will miscarry, usually due to chromosomal abnormalities. Under “Life Begins at Conception” ideology, EVERY miscarriage is subject to criminal investigation. Furthermore, the following can and will be applied to ALL women of childbearing age as they have the ability to become pregnant.
a. Diet: Eating goods that are against recommended for pregnant women, including not maintaining an ideal weight.
b. Exercise: Too much/too little exercise can affect a pregnancy. Therefore, daily activity can be scrutinized.
c. Chemicals: Whether cleaning solvents used in a home or chemicals from a work environment, chemicals have the potential to affect a fetus, so can be scrutinized.
d. Alcohol/Smoking/Marijuana can all affect a pregnancy so can be legally scrutinized under law.
e. Activities: If a pregnant woman gets in a car accident and miscarried, she could be charged for the death of her fetus. A woman who was shot was charged with the death of her fetus, NOT the shooter.
f. Medical Treatment: As previously noted, nearly ALL medications and most medical treatments have a disclaimer: Do not use if pregnant or MAY BECOME PREGNANT. This means all medical treatment prior to a pregnancy may be scrutinized if there is a miscarriage.
The most insidious part about this is women NEVER know the point of fertilization. Therefore, these restrictions can be applied to ALL women of childbearing age, now from about 8-50 years old, to prevent potential miscarriages.
Limit travel for women/ criminalize out-of-state abortions
Several counties in Texas have already passed laws restricting the use of public roads for women to travel for abortion care. Expect these laws to expand exponentially. Limiting women from travel across state lines or boarding planes is easier than people are willing to admit. Technology currently in place at many state borders to screen Commercial Motors Vehicles can easily be expanded to include requirements for women to submit to a pregnancy test to leave/enter a state.
If they succeed in a Federal Abortion Ban, banning intrastate travel will be moot. Prohibiting women from foreign travel to obtain ab abortion will be easy. It is as simple as passing a law banning pregnant women from leaving the country. Requiring a pregnancy test as a part of TSA Screening in airports is easily accomplished. Pregnancy tests can also be made mandatory for all women at international border crossings.
Allow men to choose and rape women they want to birth their child
One of the biggest fallacies the Abortion Abolitionist movement makes is that women who were impregnated by rape can simply put the baby up for adoption and increase the “supply of domestic babies.” This is not true! Rapists can sue for Paternal Rights! When that happens, the child cannot be placed for adoption. According to Prism, “only 32 states allow the termination of parental rights of rapists who conceive a child, while others have varying restrictions in place, and many still require criminal conviction.” Meanwhile, the victim is subject to court ordered shared custody or paying the rapist child support.
In summary, the Abortion Abolitionist Movement is more than stopping abortions. The final objective is to control ALL aspects of women’s lives, from menarche to menopause.
Weaponizing biology makes it much easier to oppress women.
Extremely dangerous movement from anyone who is an advocate for this kind of evil narcissistic machiavellian behavior. These people have no empathy whatsoever and they think their ideas and ideals are far superior than anyone else’s. They would be or should be easy to spot because of their overinflated self righteous boorishness. Many of them pride themselves on being good Christian people and leaders but their arrogance and inflated self righteous gives them away. Anyone who identifies with this ideology should look out and refuse to give them any credence for they want to force on others.