My olive skin is the foundation, my DNA shapes and personalizes every surface, my heart is the essence. This body of mine is truly a temple. A place to be worshipped and respected.
I was always taught that my body was my own, but somehow society contradicted all of those teachings. According to society, my body is mine, but there are exceptions, especially when it comes to women.
When the new Texas Abortion Law was put into place on Sept. 1, my belief that my body was my own slowly started to diminish.
Though I’m not a Texan, it still affects me as a woman. It affects my future. It affects my rights. It affects my body.
The Texas Abortion Law states that an abortion is banned after six weeks of pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most women don’t find out that they’re pregnant until four to seven weeks after conception.
Along with this small span of time, this law also allows people to sue abortion providers and people who have assisted women in the process. This can range from cab drivers who drive women to the abortion clinic to family members who help pay for the abortion.
Another part of this law is that rape and incest aren’t exceptions. No matter what, if it’s past six weeks, a woman in Texas can’t legally have the right to an abortion.
I believe that this is one of the strictest abortion laws ever put into place.
The thing that concerns me the most is that this law has once again been made by a white male, a pattern that’s been continuing for centuries.
Men shouldn’t be making laws regarding women’s bodies.
Our autonomy is completely different, and these laws don’t directly affect men.
Texas senator George Abbott was the one who created this law. Many women spoke out asking why he thinks rape or incest aren’t exceptions. He responded with, “Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them.”
Though this is something that should happen, this is such an unrealistic so-called solution. Especially since he failed to mention how he was planning to do so.
It’s extremely insensitive to suggest such a vague statement that’s already been falsely promised by various white male leaders.
As a matter of fact, most cases aren’t reported and the people in authority mainly consist of men. Plus, the system makes it hard to prosecute a rapist without tangible evidence.
310 out of 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the police, meaning that 2 out of 3 go unreported according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.
This law may only be in Texas right now, but it worries me that it will enable other states to create laws that are very similar.
To go along with my thinking on this topic, empathy comes to mind. As a woman I am biased, but I would like to encourage men to take a step back and ask themselves, how would you feel if there were restrictions on your own body? As well as asking women who are against abortion to consider the circumstances as to which the pregnancy occurs.
I’m not saying that I’m pro-abortion. I am saying that I’m pro-choice. I believe abortion needs to be an available option, and cases such as rape or incest should be a huge determining factor.
Women and their bodies are naturally so powerful and beautiful. They’re not put onto this earth simply to reproduce. That’s not their only purpose. Women are powerhouses of potential, and the idea that the main factor that separates us from men is being taken for granted is simply unjust. It is so utterly degrading to witness as an almost-adult woman.
All I ask of people, especially men, is to evaluate whether this law is fair to women.
Keep in mind the fear and insecurity that has been instilled into women from this law and then try walking in the shoes of a woman again.