Abortion is not a new concept to us, yet the taboo topic of the termination of life has evolved into a political stance instead of a human right. Pro choice is a basic human right all women deserve and need.

The case of others arguing against it with the ideology and belief that self-­‐righteousness allows you to quote bible scriptures “as a good Christian” lets cut the crap right there.

Your religion does not constitute for what is right or wrong in someone else’s eyes. It is the lack of empathy, understanding and proper education that we have not begun to learn to agree on a basic fundamental human right for women.

Regardless of religion, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status all women deserve the right to terminate an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. With the pro-­life vs. pro-­choice abortion rates it all begins with education and how we become informed on our bodies and how they work. Here are a few statistics..

Currently, 22 states and the District of Columbia mandate both sex and HIV education; two states mandate sex education alone, and another 12 states mandate only HIV education. A total of 37 states require that sex education include abstinence: Twenty-six require that abstinence be stressed, while eleven simply require that it be included as part of the instruction.

Many teens feel uncomfortable talking to their health provider about sexual health issues and many health providers have frequent concerns on talking about these issues. The percentage of schools teaching sex education has declined along a range of topics such as, methods of contraception, resisting peer pressure, human development such as puberty and how to properly put on a condom. Its no wonder we have such a large steady increase in teenage pregnancy and hence abortions.

Pro-life’s mission is to end all abortions, so lets start with a way we can do that.

Abstinence? The lack of education on how to use contraception in our high schools is definitely a factor why teenage pregnancy has risen, because simply not telling kids how to protect themselves does not stop them from continuing to have sex.

So lets start with having pro-life providing affordable prescribed contraception. Team up with Planned Parenthood, handout condoms, start by giving proper education in high schools and middle schools. But lets not hold our breath here, these are merely suggestions and great ones at that, that are sure to make a difference. But what if we don’t exactly understand what’s so bad about abortions, what if we are neither pro‐choice or pro‐life? Well here is a little history lesson on old testament women finding their way around an unwanted pregnancy. Women have been having unsanctioned abortions since ancient times.

The Greeks and Romans used to use rue, egg and dill to induce a miscarriage.

Egyptians would drink poisonous herbal teas such as pennyroyal, as well as in other areas of the world women would wear girdles restraining them and twisting out fetuses. They would go as far as pouring scolding hot water over the womb, sitting on hot coconuts, standing over a hot steaming pot of onions in water, as well as a brewing a concoction of Opium, Mandrake root, Queens Lace, Opopanax, and various types of peppers.

This would often cause a lot more harm with the after effects. After all these years, these torturous medieval methods are still hanging around.

A report in 2011 stated that women in Pakistan are resorting to opium bombs with shards of broiled broom with a pinch of opium to prick the uterus and burst the gestation sac. Bleeding within an hour indicates a successful abortion and when these homemade remedies don’t work women turn to steel coat hangers, which increase health risk and possibly death.

As many as 1 in 6 deaths are as a result of this, along with 60 percent of the women being unskilled not licensed practitioners, along side the fact that induced abortions are illegal in the country of Pakistan

3 out of 10 women in America will have an abortion by the time they reach the age 45. Whether this will be a back alley abortion or under a licensed doctor, women need the right to choose

Whether you believe life begins at conception or not, that is your decision to choose, but I believe I can speak for all women in America when I say having the option to choose on a health decision that can impact your life and everyone around you, having the right to control your body and what happens to it is necessary.

Save Roe, because being pro-life doesn’t mean you have to be against pro-choice, it just means we should be protecting the women whose lives will carry on future generations.

It starts with each other. It starts with listening.