I Did My Own Abortion Because Texas Used COVID-19 as an Excuse to Shut Down Abortion Clinics

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN · Aug 11, 2020

Shortly after Esmarie* learned she was pregnant in mid-March, the city in South Central Texas where she lives started to shut down in response to the coronavirus. Her college classes went online and she lost shifts at the two restaurants where she works, leaving her barely able to afford groceries. She knew right away that she did not want to continue the pregnancy, but feared abortion clinics would soon be shut down, too. It would be another six weeks before she was able to resolve her pregnancy with a self-managed abortion using abortion pills, which, when used as directed, have a success rate of 95 percent and are an increasingly popular option during the pandemic (one study showed a 27 percent rise in requests across the U.S., and a 94 percent increase in demand in Texas). Esmarie, 19, told us about her experience obtaining an abortion during the pandemic.

The abortion clinics were closed at that time, but the CPCs, the crisis pregnancy centers, those were open. When I was making phone calls, trying to see which clinics were open for abortion, they were the only ones who answered. They said, we don't do abortions but you can get an ultrasound and we can talk to you about your choices. But they only really give you two choices—adoption or parenting. I was definitely not going to do adoption because I was adopted and it just didn't go well. But I knew I couldn't raise my child at this time.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN said:
I Did My Own Abortion Because Texas Used COVID-19 as an Excuse to Shut Down Abortion Clinics

That's awful. Seems she has no regard for life except her own.

Paulos23 · Aug 11, 2020

That is frightening.

Paulos23 · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
That's awful. Seems she has no regard for life except her own.

I see it as the reverse.

Caliban · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
That's awful. Seems she has no regard for life except her own.

That is completely unfair.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Paulos23 said:
I see it as the reverse.

Unfortunately we will never hear from the ones that were aborted. They don't get a say in their lives like we do.

Caliban · Aug 11, 2020

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN said:
I Did My Own Abortion Because Texas Used COVID-19 as an Excuse to Shut Down Abortion Clinics

This is why people fought for reproductive rights to begin with.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Caliban said:
That is completely unfair.

Not really. You and I both got to experience this great life. Who are we or anyone else to decide who gets to experience it? Nobody should unjustly take a life.

solid_core · Aug 11, 2020

Caliban said:
This is why people fought for reproductive rights to begin with.

Reproductive right sounds like a right to reproduce.

While in practice its meant to be a right to have sexual life without reproducing.

What a strange world it is.

Caliban · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Not really. You and I both got to experience this great life. Who are we or anyone else to decide who gets to experience it? Nobody should unjustly take a life.

You and I have different views on what constitutes rights. I privilege the right of the conscious over the unconscious.

Caliban · Aug 11, 2020

solid_core said:
Reproductive right sounds like a right to reproduce.

While in practice its meant to be a right to have sexual life without reproducing.

What a strange world it is.

I'm not sure what is strange about it. It is the control over reproduction. To be able to control biological processes and not be hemmed in by them.

Paulos23 · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Unfortunately we will never hear from the ones that were aborted. They don't get a say in their lives like we do.

But you don't get there by ignoring what the woman has to say.

There is a lot of steps before an abortion becomes a choice. This line of argument does nothing to address those steps and comes off as callous of her life and current situation.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Caliban said:
You and I have different views on what constitutes rights. I privilege the right of the conscious over the unconscious.

Until the law changes I guess they can do whatever they want.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Paulos23 said:
But you don't get there by ignoring what the woman has to say.

There is a lot of steps before an abortion becomes a choice. This line of argument does nothing to address those steps and comes off as callous of her life and current situation.

Do you wish that you were aborted? Aren't you thankful for having experienced life? Surely you wouldn't advocate for depriving others of the same opportunities you got.

Caliban · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Until the law changes I guess they can do whatever they want.

Significant change in the law is highly unlikely. Most people do not want unrestricted abortion--only about 6%. However, early access to an abortion is supported by most Americans.

Nithavela · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Not really. You and I both got to experience this great life. Who are we or anyone else to decide who gets to experience it? Nobody should unjustly take a life.

I thought this world is absolutely wretched?

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Caliban said:
Significant change in the law is highly unlikely. Most people do not want unrestricted abortion--only about 6%. However, early access to an abortion is supported by most Americans.

That's true but still doesn't make it right. It just means the majority of people are terrible at caring for others.

Paulos23 · Aug 11, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Do you wish that you were aborted? Aren't you thankful for having experienced life? Surely you wouldn't advocate for depriving others of the same opportunities you got.

My mother was lucky in that she had a loving and supportive husband and the financial security to have kids. Not every woman has that, and I will not judge them for making choices based on their current situation.

Even with birth control, things happen and it may not be the ideal time for a woman to have a baby. But that is for her to decide, no one else.

Arc F1 · Aug 11, 2020

Nithavela said:
I thought this world is absolutely wretched?

The world is. Let's start making it a better place. All those children could have helped but now it's just up to us. Are you going to make it better or worse?

Paulos23 · Aug 11, 2020

solid_core said:
Reproductive right sounds like a right to reproduce.

While in practice its meant to be a right to have sexual life without reproducing.

What a strange world it is.

No, you are making a mistake there. It is for when a woman has the control to decide when to have a baby, not for having babies all the time.

And while sex is necessary for reproduction, is it fair to force those with high sex drives to have many babies?

I Did My Own Abortion Because Texas Used COVID-19 as an Excuse to Shut Down Abortion Clinics

My dad died 1/12/2023. I'm still devastated.

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Never tell me the odds!

Never tell me the odds!

Well-Known Member

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Well-Known Member

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Never tell me the odds!

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Well-Known Member

our world is happy and mundane

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Never tell me the odds!

Let the righteous man arise from slumber

Never tell me the odds!

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