There are times in which I am glad I haven't given birth to a daughter. And when it comes to discussing birth control and abortion, I know that the same talk should be given to my son as would be given had he been born a girl. But the truth of the matter, whether we want to admit it or not, is that reproductive responsibilities are burdened on the female species.
Our bodies, our choices. While some men may claim that reproductive rights should be a decision that fathers gets to make too, we women will bear the children and, in most cases, be the primary caregivers. Is this fair? No, not at all. But it's reality.
As a grown woman, if I get pregnant, I can choose to have an abortion without a single family member knowing about it. If I was molested or raped, I wouldn't have to tell my parents or my neighbor or my spouse that I sought an abortion because I have the right to my body and my privacy.
In California, for the third time, there is a proposition that is trying to remove that right for teen girls. The proposition imposes a 48-hr waiting period where a parent or guardian will be notified of the teen's request to have an abortion.
And while you may think that if your teen daughter was ever in this position that you would want to know and you would want to be there for her, remember that your teen still has the ability to come forward and tell you. We do not need to make laws for communicating to our minor teens.
Think about the girls who don't have a great relationship with their parents. Girls who may have been raped by their own fathers or a family member. Girls whose families are so religious that they will force her to remain pregnant.
Prop 4 cannot force teens to talk to their parents, but it may force them to do something dangerous out of desperation. Under the guise of protecting teenage girls, Prop 4 is really the latest attempt to impose restrictions on reproductive freedom.
Californians did the right thing in 2005 and 2006 by voting No on similar propositions. Let's defeat this campaign once and for all.
