Rights Threatened

I'm a woman, and an advocate for women's rights. I have had some experience with sexism, and I know those before me tolerated much worse.

I'm a mother. Eight times I had the experience of becoming pregnant. Two miscarried. Six times I gave birth, enduring all the pain and weakness of this incredible event.

All of my children were real to me from the moment I knew I was pregnant. As they grew in my womb, they developed personalities. My first seemed to jump around constantly, like a frog. My third moved steadily, like the ocean. I found comfort in their movements, knowing they were healthy and safe inside of me.

I have never understood how women's rights can be expressed through abortion. We must have the right to equal pay and equal opportunity. But how can we claim the right to take a life?

My unborn children relied on me, but from the beginning they were separate from me--each with his own personality. (My "frog" never stops. My "ocean" is still calm.) I was their lifeline for those nine months (ten, with my fourth), providing the nutrients they needed to grow. When they were ready, they emerged into the world as individuals.

I loved my children from the very beginning. I cannot imagine allowing a doctor to rip my child from me and cruelly killing him with an injection. I can't imagine anyone advocating for that.

Abortion is sometimes necessary, even in the second trimester. If the life of the mother is at stake, the child cannot survive. But even the prospect of aborting my child to save myself would be a painful and difficult decision.

Women have enough obstacles. Sometimes pregnancy is one of them. Fatigue, morning sickness, swollen ankles. And after nine months, give or take, it's over. A small sacrifice for bringing another person into the world.

Let's focus on equal pay for equal work and concentrate on protecting women from abusive partners. We need to stick with the real issues.

Let's not sacrifice our children.