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Bodily Autonomy

Pregnancy profoundly affects a woman’s body. The fetus lives inside her body and receives critical support from her body. Bodily autonomy is the ability to govern one’s own body. Everybody deserves a right to some degree of bodily autonomy. Some people think this right extends so far that it justifies abortion — even if they agree the fetus deserves human rights. These posts help you have a meaningful conversation about how the right to bodily autonomy measures up against the right to life.

Person 1: The fetus is a trespasser. Person 2 (our hero): I think I see what you mean. I wish nobody were ever pregnant without wanting to be. Let me ask a question; bear with me. If I find a stowaway toddler on my boat, may I throw her overboard?Person 1: Fine, a fetus is a human person. But a woman may do anything to anyone in her body. Person 2 (our hero): I agree we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. To be clear, do you think abortion is always okay, at any time, even for no reason?Person 1: It’s my body, so it’s my choice. Person 2 (our hero): I agree that we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. I want to understand your view better. When a woman is pregnant, would you say there’s one body present or two?Person 1: People aren’t forced to donate life-saving organs, so women shouldn’t be forced to stay pregnant. Person 2 (our hero): Interesting analogy! I agree that we shouldn’t be forced to donate organs. But I think abortion has some key differences from declining to donate an organ. Can we talk about them?Person 1: A fetus is a parasite. Person 2 (our hero): I see the similarities. Help me understand. Are you saying a fetus isn’t a person, like a tapeworm isn’t a person? Or are you saying abortion is okay even if a fetus is a person, since she’s using her mom’s body?Person 1: Sure, a fetus is a person. But a woman may do anything to anyone in her body. Person 2 (our hero): I agree that we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. But may a pregnant woman take thalidomide? It causes serious birth defects.Person 1: A fetus is a parasite. Person 2 (our hero): It’s true that the fetus is entirely dependent on another person. Many elderly adults suffer from depression because they feel guilty about being in a similar position.Person 1: Nobody, fetus or adult, may use a woman’s body without her consent. Person 2 (our hero): I sympathize with women facing unwanted pregnancies. But abortion does more than separate the fetus and mother. The fetus’s death is no accident.Person 1: Trust women to make their own decisions. Person 2 (our hero): I want to give people the benefit of the doubt too, but sometimes both men and women do things that need to be stopped. E.g., we should stop parents from abusing kids instead of blindly trusting them to decide how to treat their kids.
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