Giving Girls a Real Choice

Sorry if my blog has been too full of abortion talk lately. But between raunchy celebrations of death and animal rights activists who won't defend the unborn human, it's been on my mind.

It's really sad that organizations like Planned Parenthood and NOW play abortion off as a women's rights issue. We're inundated with the message that they just want the woman to be given a choice.

But the truth is that most women who get abortions do so because they feel like they have no other choice.

I saw this a couple years back, as I volunteered as a crisis pregnancy counselor.

There were 3 main fears that push a girl toward having an abortion:

1. She was afraid her boyfriend would leave her if she carried the baby to term.

2. She was afraid her parents would kick her out of the house if they found out.

3. She was afraid that she would never be able to see her dreams to fruition.

I will admit that these are hard possibilities to look in the face. But I have a healthy handful of friends who have triumphed over fears and chosen to carry their baby in spite of it.

I myself did it, too.

What we've found is that motherhood (and particularly unplanned single motherhood) does more to show the strength of a woman than abortion politics ever could.

We've found:

1. That our relationship with the controlling man or the irresponsible father wasn't healthy. It was holding us back from finding fulfillment.

2. That education and single motherhood are not mutually exclusive. It's hard, but I finished school, and so many others have, too.

3. That being a parent is the most difficult and rewarding occupation.

It takes more energy, more creativity, more understanding, more sensitivity, more discipline, more determination, more of everything than any other field.

It also yields more love, more strength, more confidence, and more purpose than any other field.

4. That dreams don't have to die. They need only be modified to include more people.

5. That your natural family may desert you when you don't live up to their standards, but the family of God is loving. And there will always be people in a church somewhere that want to patiently help you succeed.

6. That hard working single moms deserve the government assistance that they get. And it's not a shameful thing to take charity for the sake of your family.

Women need to be told that they do have a choice, and it's not limited to sacrificing their child to the goddess of women's rights.

For another voice on this topic, check out Laura Anne's guest post on helping girls make an informed choice.