Julia Walters
Features Editor
President Donald Trump yet again enacted a plan last week that takes seriously sets back family and women’s organizations, such as Planned Parenthood. As it stands right now, the government allocates about $286 million to federal family planning, which is called the Title X program.
However, under a new policy change, any family planning organizations that provide abortion, or referrals for abortion, are not eligible to receive funding from the Title X program, meaning that organizations such as Planned Parenthood will lose out on millions of dollars. Much of that money is going to be put into faith-based institutions instead.
As a woman, I find this policy change is completely ridiculous. While I myself am pro-choice, I understand that many reasonable people have personal problems with the idea of abortion. However, that being said, despite the fact that some morally opposed to abortion, I do not think that this option should be taken away from other women.
If there are people who don’t agree with abortion, then that is their prerogative, but it is completely unnecessary to remove that option for others who may be in a tough situation and aren’t able to devote their attention both mentally and financially to raise a child.
Since President Trump is a man, this is an issue he will never have to personally think about. While it may be a bit controversial, I believe that if someone doesn’t identify as a woman, then they don’t get to have an opinion on this issue. It is just not something that men will ever have to deal with directly. It seems simple in my mind; just let the people who have the potential to be directly affected by this form opinions and tamper with the policies surrounding it.
While the government has not yet outlawed abortion, this policy change is clearly a roundabout way to prevent women and organizations from both getting abortions and supporting them. It is a scary thought that abortion could be completely illegal in the near future because the consequences of this are dire.
Illegal abortions will most likely increase as women become more desperate for a way out. This puts women’s lives in danger if an abortion isn’t performed in a sterile, safe environment. As well as this, women could potentially be caught while involved in this situation and could be incarcerated, facing intense criminalization.
As women become more desperate to end their pregnancy without the option of abortion, it has been observed in other countries that women will self-induce termination with things such as illegal medications, dangerous concoctions of turpentine and bleach or even just inflicting blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
Suicide is another problematic side effect of getting rid of legalized abortion, which is the direction this country is heading. The number of pregnant women who can see no other way to end their emotional and physical turmoil could turn to suicide as the only way to avoid their massive problem. It would be the ultimate shame of this country to make low-income, young or otherwise unable women feel the need to end their lives because they are helpless in that situation.
Or, women could have their baby and try to support it and raise it. However, without the proper finances, support system, or stable mental state to care for the child, there could be negative effects that occur down the line.
Many low-income women may not be aware or don’t have the means to get proper pre-natal care, which will affect the health of the fetus.
The likelihood of abuse and/or neglect will increase if there isn’t enough stability in the mother’s life. If abuse is present in the child’s life, this opens up an increased likelihood for that child to develop drug or alcohol problems or turn to a life of crime, according to a research article published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Additionally, postpartum depression could hit the mother harder than someone who is ready and stable enough in multiple facets of life to have a baby, making caring for the child infinitely more difficult.
Basically, these indirect ways of cutting legalized abortion as an option for pregnant women can sink our country down into a hole even further. While some may not agree with abortion, that should not mean that it is taken out of consideration for everyone. Sometimes it is the best option for women to lead a healthy life.
I truly hope that the government will rethink this policy change to the Title X program and realize the injustice they are doing for women across the country.
