"A fetus is not a baby"

“A fetus is not a baby. It never has been a baby and until it is viable outside the womb it is just plain silly to call it one. Should I cry for each period I get because it could have been a fetus that would have potentially turned into a baby?”

I don’t know who this person is, but I love this quote.

Last night, I had friends over. A discussion about not being able to go out anymore because of children morphed into a conversation about abortion. Friend A told Friend B that she wouldn’t have let her have an abortion. They go on to agree that, if it were a few years ago she would understand because she would be younger and not ready. Then Friend B talks about someone she knew who was almost 30 and had an abortion. Friend A says she obviously doesn’t want children if she would have an abortion so ‘late’ in life and if she’s not ready now, she’ll never be ready. Last night, I agreed with those sentiments.

Today I was on my favorite blog, feministing. And I read an article about women telling their stories about abortion and I got the above quote from an anonymous comment.  The author was telling her abortion story. She had two children and she was in 40’s and didn’t think she was prepared another child at that stage in her life. It’s a really cool article: http://www.babble.com/pregnancy/my-pregnancy/i-had-an-abortion/

Her story made me rethink my position about saying having an abortion when you’re almost 30 means you don’t want children. I think its ok not to want children. I think having a child is considering where you are in your life and are you prepared. The article made me realize women shouldn’t have to apologize for their abortions and that I was embracing some ideas that don’t align with my ideals.

I respect everyone’s right to choose despite their reasoning.