Introduction
The abortion debate has always been particularly interesting to me, as various groups of people choose to view the issue differently. Especially the question of whether abortion should be the choice of a woman or not allowed at all, its morality, religious interpretation, and its effect on a woman’s status. I am interested in the topic because both sides’ arguments are compelling at times; thus, it is hard to determine a solid position. However, the pro-abortion argument appears to be the most consistent, as allowing women to choose what to do with their bodies is essential. However, I understand that it is vital to analyze the issue from different perspectives to determine the most valid and clear position on the matter. Thus, I aim to examine whether abortion is immoral and stands against central religious practices, or anti-abortion laws bring a woman to the status of community property and symbolize reproductive oppression.
Exploration
One of the initial sources regarding abortion and ethics stated, in its title, that abortion, regardless of the status of the fetus, was immoral. The argument compared a prospective mother drinking and risking giving fetal alcohol syndrome to a fetus as unethical, as it may damage the fetus. By extension, abortion most definitely harms the fetus, thereby abortion is vicious (Hendricks 246). While getting around the debate of “is a fetus a human being,” this argument still relies on the assumption that impairing a fetus is wrongful. In my opinion, this assumption is not correct, as any activity risking the fetus then becomes unprincipled. The prospective mother endangers the fetus by eating chicken or seafood that may be undercooked or driving a car; however, defining these actions as unethical is not accurate.
Abortion is considered a controversial topic within the religious ethics of different countries, as some Muslim believers claim abortion goes against traditional Islamic practices. For instance, the 2017 article by Ekmekci explores the relationship between abortion and Islam, particularly in Turkey’s context. In Islam, the primary difficulty concerning abortion lies in the ethical narrative of preserving and guarding the possible human life to sustain a community of Muslims (Ekmekci 3). Overall, Muslim leaders view abortion as an act of intervening in God’s position as the creator of life and death. On the other hand, even from the Islam perspective, there are various beliefs amongst Muslim officials about the moral acceptability of abortion. The Qur’an, the most important book for Muslim believers, does not explicitly state the opinion about abortion, nor does the Hadith and Sunna. The argument made in this article is interesting, as is it not based on facts but rather on people’s interpretation of religious scripts. However, the lack of the overall consensus on the issue, even among Muslim scholars, makes the argument less effective.
In contrast, the next article I analyzed argued that restricting female bodily autonomy regarding pregnancy and abortion reduces women to being community property. The argument presented is a counterargument to beliefs held by conservative Brazilians. In short, the public believes that women should always give birth to help create a flourishing community. The article brings up a rebuttal that women are not social capital and have bodily autonomy independent of society (Camargo 4). The legitimacy of this argument boils down to my belief in social contracts. In short, people have responsibilities towards other community members that may limit autonomy. However, this does not include giving birth, as increasing the community population should not be an ethical concern. A woman stealing would be unethical; however, abortion does not directly impact her community and does not qualify as immoral.
Lastly, this issue has also been a topic of debate in predominantly Christian countries, as some view abortion as a symbol of reproductive oppression. The 2018 article written by McCarthy et al. discusses the current anti-abortion laws in Ireland, claiming that they pose severe risks to the well-being, lives, and human rights of pregnant women (1). The argument made by the authors is connected to the excessive influence that the Christian church has on a contemporary Irish government (McCarthy et al. 3). The authors relate the issue of abortion to the impact of the church in the 20th century, where contraception, cesarean sections, sterilization, and other practices were forbidden. Thus, the anti-abortion laws result from the reproductive oppression occurring in the country a hundred years prior. Overall, the arguments provided by the authors of this study present the abortion debate from a historical perspective. It is compelling to analyze one issue through the prism of other similar problems and coherently connect them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my position on abortion has not changed its essence; rather my perspective on the aspects surrounding abortion has shifted. I still maintain that abortion should be a fundamental right for women as it encompasses bodily autonomy. None of the arguments presented in the articles here have shifted my viewpoint. The arguments against allowing abortion, whether ethical or religious, assume specific responsibilities of a woman that I do not believe exist. Women are not societal workers who have to output children just as men are not asked to do the same. Thereby any arguments that abortion is harming a community lowers the importance of a woman as a person by reducing her to a community asset. Ethically, these arguments then do not hold up and fail to change my opinion on a woman’s right to abortion.
Works Cited
Camargo, Thais. “Pro-Abortion Rights Narratives in Brazil, 1976 to 2016.” Cadernos de Saude Publica, vol. 36, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-13. Web.
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif. “Abortion in Islamic Ethics, and How it is Perceived in Turkey: A Secular, Muslim Country.” Journal of Religion and Health, vol. 56, no. 3, 2017, pp. 1-13. Web.
Hendricks, Perry. “Even If the Fetus Is Not a Person, Abortion Is Immoral: The Impairment Argument.” Bioethics, vol. 33, no. 2, 2018, pp. 245–253., Web.
McCarthy, Joan, et al. “Ethical Arguments for Access to Abortion Services in the Republic of Ireland: Recent Developments in the Public Discourse.” Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 44, no. 8, 2018, pp. 1-5. Web.