Venting About Something Stupid a Friend Just Said
One of my generally well-meaning and very far-left friends just announced that she is no longer pro-choice because she is certain people will use genetic screening to selectively abort disabled and LGBTQ+ fetuses in the very near future. Her argument is that, because pro-choice means "you can terminate a pregnancy for any reason at any time," eugenics is the inevitable result. She was also evidently "on the fence" about IVF for a long time, for similar reasons.
This is a topic with lots of room for nuance, yes, but it's also so damn frustrating to see her saying that.
Yes, eugenics is something to keep in mind when allowing for genetic screening. Yes, people are prejudiced against disabled people, and some of that prejudice is going to show through if they get genetic screening during a pregnancy. Yes, people are going to make assumptions that are grounded in what they think is right or good or scientifically sound even if it's not. Yes to all of that. Those are problems.
But the solution to those problems is NOT to outlaw abortion. Nor is the solution to make someone who is pregnant satisfy additional administrative criteria and jump through even more hoops to personally satisfy you that they're "one of the good ones" who you will graciously allow to have a necessary medical procedure. Forcing people to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term is just pointlessly cruel, and it's especially cruel if you're doing it to force someone to have a baby you know they are already prejudiced against.
Oh, and have I mentioned that the no-longer-pro-choice friend of mine will never have to worry about getting pregnant or having to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term? Because there's also that.
This is a topic with lots of room for nuance, yes, but it's also so damn frustrating to see her saying that.
Yes, eugenics is something to keep in mind when allowing for genetic screening. Yes, people are prejudiced against disabled people, and some of that prejudice is going to show through if they get genetic screening during a pregnancy. Yes, people are going to make assumptions that are grounded in what they think is right or good or scientifically sound even if it's not. Yes to all of that. Those are problems.
But the solution to those problems is NOT to outlaw abortion. Nor is the solution to make someone who is pregnant satisfy additional administrative criteria and jump through even more hoops to personally satisfy you that they're "one of the good ones" who you will graciously allow to have a necessary medical procedure. Forcing people to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term is just pointlessly cruel, and it's especially cruel if you're doing it to force someone to have a baby you know they are already prejudiced against.
Oh, and have I mentioned that the no-longer-pro-choice friend of mine will never have to worry about getting pregnant or having to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term? Because there's also that.
31-35, F
