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The Abortion Dilemma for Feminists: Is There One?

August 11, 2011 12:00 am by Mona Gable in Feminism
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[Nora Ephron famously said that you can't be a feminist unless you support a woman's right to abortion. I happen to agree with her. But as Ampersand at Alas, A Blog points out, some women believe the issue is less clear-cut. What do you think?--Mona]

He writes:

Last year, Amanda Marcotte said that she doesn’t consider “Feminists For Life” and similar groups to be feminists. Cathy Young (who is pro-choice), disagreeing with Amanda, wrote:

But that doesn’t mean there should be no place at the feminist table for women who genuinely believe that abortion is the taking of a human life, no dialogue or search for compromise. Yes, even the biggest tent must have some boundaries: to expand “feminism” to include advocacy of male superiority or female submission would strip the concept of all meaning. But, last time I checked, women who held such views were in no rush to appropriate the term.

rally

Credit Image: Steve Rhodes on Flickr

Read the full post on The Boundaries of Feminism on Alas, A Blog now.

Read more from The Abortion Dilemma for Feminists: Is There One? at Alas, A Blog

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BShallue
BShallue 5 pts

I am a feminist - I believe in equal rights for men and women, equal pay, equal education, equal opportunities, equal jobs, you name it. I've worked side by side with men in traditionally male jobs, pulling my own weight and not asking for special treatment.

I am also against abortion. I believe life begins at conception; it has nothing to do with a woman's autonomy over her body at that point. It is a separate life with rights of its own that need to be considered. So while I think Nora Ephron is a wonderful writer and she quite often makes me laugh, obviously I disagree with her on the "rules" of feminism.

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GretchenBest
GretchenBest 5 pts

I loved this description: "So a feminist pro-lifer is someone who considers both women’s autonomy and fetal life essential to preserve. So this person would be dedicated to lowering the abortion rate — but would want to do it through means that value women’s autonomy, by using non-coercive means of reducing the demand for abortion."

Just seems so darn sensible. As is so often the case, the thing that resonates the most for me is "both/and," rather than "either/or."

Gretchen

http://gretchenbest.blogspot.com/

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Conversation from Facebook

Rebecca Wolowiec
Rebecca Wolowiec

I am pro-reproductive rights but abortion should only be allowed in certain cases.

Tina DaBella
Tina DaBella

I think they are totally 2 separate things. Generally (not always) those that have strong issues against abortion have very strong religious belief as well and abortion is just against the Christian religious beliefs.

Being a feminist does not mean one thing or another about religious beliefs. You can be a feminist with strong, not so strong or no religious feeling 1 way or the other.

I hate to hear someone say if you are either Anti-Abortion or "Pro-Abortion". I highly doubt anyone wakes up and says...abortion is a good thing.

It is a difficult decision to make but I do believe it is a women's choice to make. I do not believe in late term abortions unless it is a matter of life or death for the mother.

Angie Rapids
Angie Rapids

I am pro-choice but that doesn't mean I support abortion across the board. I support abortion only under the very strictest of circumstances: life and death, rape, incest, and loss of quality of life for babies born horribly disfigured or mentally impaired - real problems. I think using abortion as a means for birth control and repeatedly using it as a way to get rid of an 'inconvenient' pregnancy is a sign of bigger issues in a woman's life. No abortion will ever help those kinds of problems.

Karen Schulman Dupuis
Karen Schulman Dupuis

Nobody, no matter who he or she is, has the right to tell another what to do with their body.

Janet Hulstrand
Janet Hulstrand

I don't think it's possible to be a feminist and not support reproductive rights. I do think it's entirely possible to be a feminist and be deeply saddened by the idea of abortion.