Here’s My Thoughts: It’s Not Right But It’s Okay

No, I’m not talking about the Whitney Houston song. I’m talking about abortion laws.

Whether you’re pro-life or pro-choice, it is irrefutable that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that having an abortion is legal. It is permissible. In simple terms, it is “okay.”

Recently, I read an article on Buzzfeed discussing the new hashtag on Twitter: #shoutyourabortion. On September 20, two women called upon other women to share their abortion “success” stories—how they had an abortion and how they were so much happier afterwards. A few quotes that shocked me include “My life is more valuable than a potential life” and “having an abortion made me happy in a totally unqualified way.”

Don’t get me wrong. No woman deserves to be shamed for her decision to abort her baby. In cases of rape or potential loss of the life of the mother, some pro-choicers believe it is okay to have an abortion. The article is correct on that account. Whether or not abortion is murder is up for debate. But in #shoutyourabortion, it is no longer saying “abortion is permissible if a woman decides she needs it.” It is saying “abortion is you best option because it will make you happy.”

Where is the line between permissibility and glorification? At what point do we stop saying “this is okay” and start saying “this is good”? Is there a difference?

Look at speeding laws. Technically, you can exceed the speed limit by five miles per hour without getting pulled over. It is okay to speed. But it is not good. Exceeding the speed limit increases your risk of accidents by 33%.

It’s okay to eat donuts. It’s not good to eat them all the time. Your digestive tract can’t handle all those fats and carbohydrates. Your body is not made to do that.

Anatomically, your body is not made for abortions. While the Supreme Court has ruled that it is legal, if a woman is willing to seek out other options, she should.

Here’s my thoughts: there’s a difference between pro-choice and pro-abortion. Pro-choice says “if you absolutely must, you can legally have an abortion.” Pro-abortion says “you should have an abortion whenever you want because you can.” I don’t think that’s right.