I'm Not Going to Change Your Mind About Abortion

I'm not going to change your mind about abortion.

I know I'm not.

No matter how many statistics, testimonies, scientific facts I post, I know some people will not be swayed from their position. 

But you know what?

That's not really my intention anyway.

@destinynwf

Since the news broke about the Texas Heartbeat Bill my newsfeed has been full of posts about it. I've seen people lauding it, people decrying it, and plenty of people who are feeling a bit of both. I've seen a lot of misinformation about it, a lot of fear-mongering. I've seen false hope and premature relief. I've shared things on my own social media pages about the bill, too. 

I know it's not going to necessarily change anyone's mind. 

What's my intention, then?

I share these things and I talk about these things because I believe that the only way to truly create change, the kind of change that both sides want, is by thinking about these things, really thinking about them, and then getting to work. That's what I'm interested in. Because we can be keyboard warriors and argue until we're all blue in the face about biology and rights and the like, but it doesn't mean a damn thing for the woman who is facing a crisis pregnancy. My "thoughts and prayers" or your bumper stickers are not going to help that woman who is scared, nervous, unsure, and everything in between.

@newwavefeminists

Many people would like to live in a land where abortion is outlawed. Me personally, I'd much rather live in a society in which abortion is seen as unnecessary. A country, a culture that is so dedicated to building women up, to giving children a healthy head-start, to preserving families, to holding men to higher standards, that just the thought of terminating a pregnancy leaves people puzzled. 

I'd love to live in a place where women understand their inherent worth. Where girls and young ladies know that they are deserving of love, and that that love is not going to come from toxic relationships and sex. Where men are taught to truly respect women, to see them as equals; not just bodies they can use and abuse for their own pleasures and purposes. Where children are not seen as commodities - the latest accessory, a good that can be bought or sold - but are treasured for the gifts that they are. Where women have access to quality healthcare and are treated with dignity. Where the maternal and infant mortality rate is low. 

@secularprolife

So how do we get there? We could vote for politicians that promise change, we could write to our representatives asking them to support this-or-that bill, but let's face it: the government is so dysfunctional, so full of people who are only looking out for number one, that it's a miracle when bills get passed without issue. If you're looking to the government for guidance on what is right or wrong, if you're looking at them to help you, then I'm sorry to say that you will be sorely disappointed. I'm not an anarchist by any stretch, but I recognize the limitations of a government that oversees 50+ vastly different states and territories with a diverse, in ever sense of the word, population of 328.2 million.

The change starts with non-profits, with organizations dedicated to helping in a comprehensive and affirming way, with people like you and me. That's something we can all agree on, isn't it? Can't we all agree that women shouldn't have to choose between their job or housing and their baby? Can't we agree sex trafficking should be reported and stopped and not allowed to continue? Can't we agree that no human, even an unborn one, should be discriminated against based on gender or ability? 

@rehumanizeintl

Abortion is a sign that we have failed women. It's a band-aid solution to a vast array of problems. Solving these problems may not be easy, and many would say nigh impossible, but, damn it, we have to try. Not just for the unborn children whose lives are at risk, but for the women whose livelihoods are at risk too. 

Looking for ways to help? These are some organizations that I support and/or recommend who are doing the real boots-on-the-ground work in TX and elsewhere to help women and children:

Abide Women's Health Services - serves women and families in communities with lower access to care, especially BIPOC

New Wave Feminists - consistent life ethic group that advocates for the life from "womb to tomb" (anti-abortion, anti-death penalty, etc.). Has organized relief campaigns in Texas, Mexico, and elsewhere.

The Family Preservation Project - organization that lists resources available to women and families by state, with a special dedication to preserving birth families.

Haznos Valer - home for women and their children in the San Juan area; primarily serves and seeks to help migrants.

Annunciation House - another home with a mission to serve migrants; located in the notoriously dangerous El Paso-Juárez border area.