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AppId is over the quota
by Lisa Fogarty 15 hours ago
Sex-selective abortions aren't breaking news. Most of us are aware of the horrifying fact that in countries like China and India many pregnancies have been terminated because parents aren't happy with the gender -- which is typically female -- of their unborn child. Rude awakening time: this practice is occurring in countries like the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, as well. And so-called feminists who should be up in arms over the very thought of aborting a baby just because she has a vagina actually have the nerve to defend it.
Ann Faredi, who is the chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, made her position on the matter quite clear this week when she said:
There is no legal requirement to deny a woman an abortion if she has a sex preference. We either support a woman's capacity to decide or we don't. You can't be pro-choice except when you don't like the choice.
Excuse me? When did the world become so black and white, Ms. Faredi? I consider myself pro-choice, but I don't consider myself a defender of abortions-for-everyone-for-any-old-reason. I expect people who take a pro-life stance to argue with me about what they consider the immoral act of terminating a pregnancy based on the health of the fetus or because a woman was raped or is mentally or physically incapable of carrying the baby to term. Although I disagree with it, I can respectfully understand the opposing view. But there is no justification in my opinion -- cultural or otherwise -- worthy of arguing in favor of aborting a fetus because it isn't male.
On a personal note, I am 13 weeks pregnant and in the process of undergoing a slew of sonograms and genetic tests -- most of which I haven't opted to take. The latest test, which I did choose to take, is called Cell-Free Fetal DNA Testing. I was in shock when my doctor told me she'd be able to not only uncover the gender mystery for me as early as Week 15, but to tell me if my child may have fertility problems of his or her own. I can't help but wonder how many parents might consider terminating their pregnancies based on the fact that their child might not be "picture perfect." There's no doubt in my mind we've become test happy, but it's completely within our control to refrain from trying to manipulate the results of our pregnancies to the umpteenth degree. And I can't stand by and defend the normalization of a brutal practice like sex-selective abortion.Do you think sex-selective abortions are a woman's choice?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lisa Fogarty is a former old-timey print journalist who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and toddler girl. She still carries a notebook everywhere and is always on the lookout for tasty vegan food and blouses with collars that will finally put the Peter Pan out on its (adorable) tush.
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