REFLECTIONS ON THE 33RD ANNIVERSARY OF ROE v. WADE
by Mary Susan Gast, Conference Minister
January 18, 2006  

"Madonna and Child" courtesy of Keith A. Rosko

As a society we have never passed legislation to require fathers or mothers, brothers or sisters to donate bone marrow or a kidney to a family member, even if such a donation is the only action that will keep the needy person alive. We do not intrude, although lives are at stake. Instead, we assume that the potential donor will weigh the action and make a responsible choice. And we offer support no matter what the decision. Not so, though, when the “donation” is 9 months during which nausea, exhaustion, discomfort, substantial weight gain, absence from work, and mood swings are expectable; serious health complications are possible; culminating in the rigors of labor and delivery, followed by either 18-or-so years of caring for a child or the emotional wrenching of releasing an infant for adoption. That “donation” is subject to different standards, different presuppositions. Why are we willing to trust the judgement of one who must decide whether to donate a kidney to save a child’s life, but so much less willing to trust the judgement of one must decide whether to go through pregnancy and give birth?

Pregnancy does not de-magnetize a woman’s moral compass. Becoming pregnant does not render human beings incapable of ethical action. “Choosing life” [as Jews and Christians are bidden by scripture] is a whole lot more complicated than disregarding every other claim of family or vocation or physical strength or emotional trauma in order to carry every pregnancy through to term. The demands of pregnancy and childbirth are more than trivial inconveniences to the one who is pregnant, more than petty disruptions to her household.

“Pro-choice” is not the same as “pro-abortion,” “abortion as the only option,” or “enforced abortion.” There are many choices, many options to be considered in an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. All are risky. All call for courage. All are laden with consequences.

In public discourse, “choice” gets slammed up against “life” as if they were opposites. In real life, they cannot so easily be separated.

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this page last updated on Thursday, July 26, 2007