In general, I would consider myself anti-abortion. I make exception for instances of rape and incest, or where the unborn child would have a terrible quality of life due to critical or multiple illnesses. There are some who are absolutely anti-abortion in all circumstances, however.
This subject is on my mind because on Friday night, one of my best friends told me he has got a girl he has been seeing pregnant.
My friend is 27 and the girl he has been seeing is 20. My friend has been in a doomed relationship for 7 years, and finally ended his long term relationship in January.
The girl who is pregnant is not his girlfriend, they are not dating, they are 'friends with benefits'. After so long in a destructive relationship, he has been enjoying his freedom and the girl he has been seeing has already accepted and accepts now that they are not a couple, although she would like them to be.
My friend has a good job, a reasonable disposal income and savings, but he is not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. The girl he has been seeing does not have a steady income, has quite a lot of emotional issues, and has cut herself off from her family, who she has moved 100 miles away from.
So when my friend came to see me the other day and told me about the pregnancy, he straight away told me he wants her to have an abortion. She wants to keep the baby because she has had 3 miscarriages in the past (yes I know - 20 years old and 4th time pregnant) and is worried that an abortion might harm her chances of having children in the future further.
He has persuaded her to have the abortion and it is taking place on Monday morning.
Here's the rub - even though I consider myself anti-abortion I didn't once consider, at the time, telling him he should consider keeping the baby.
I asked him did he think the pregnancy was entrapment because the girl wants a proper relationship with him and he is convinced this is not the case. She is on the pill and her explanation for the pregnancy is that she was sick one day 7 weeks ago and the pill must have come back up... or that the pill simply failed.
It just goes to show that sometimes you can believe in something in principle but when it comes to the crunch, and someone close to you is affected, your long-held views can go out of the window.
I even found myself suggesting things he should say to the girl (who I have met a few times) about the benefits of not having a baby at this time in her life and while she is not in a loving, long-term relationship.
My friend isn't a complete bastard. In fact, he is one of the nicest people I know. He put up with an awful lot of manipulation and I would suggest, emotional bullying, from his previous, long term girlfriend. He has made it clear that if she has the baby he will support her and the baby but it will not make them into a couple.
What are your views on abortion? Has a personal experience informed your opinion on it? As I said, I used to consider myself anti-abortion but after this weekend, I'm not entitled to describe myself this way any more.
This subject is on my mind because on Friday night, one of my best friends told me he has got a girl he has been seeing pregnant.
My friend is 27 and the girl he has been seeing is 20. My friend has been in a doomed relationship for 7 years, and finally ended his long term relationship in January.
The girl who is pregnant is not his girlfriend, they are not dating, they are 'friends with benefits'. After so long in a destructive relationship, he has been enjoying his freedom and the girl he has been seeing has already accepted and accepts now that they are not a couple, although she would like them to be.
My friend has a good job, a reasonable disposal income and savings, but he is not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. The girl he has been seeing does not have a steady income, has quite a lot of emotional issues, and has cut herself off from her family, who she has moved 100 miles away from.
So when my friend came to see me the other day and told me about the pregnancy, he straight away told me he wants her to have an abortion. She wants to keep the baby because she has had 3 miscarriages in the past (yes I know - 20 years old and 4th time pregnant) and is worried that an abortion might harm her chances of having children in the future further.
He has persuaded her to have the abortion and it is taking place on Monday morning.
Here's the rub - even though I consider myself anti-abortion I didn't once consider, at the time, telling him he should consider keeping the baby.
I asked him did he think the pregnancy was entrapment because the girl wants a proper relationship with him and he is convinced this is not the case. She is on the pill and her explanation for the pregnancy is that she was sick one day 7 weeks ago and the pill must have come back up... or that the pill simply failed.
It just goes to show that sometimes you can believe in something in principle but when it comes to the crunch, and someone close to you is affected, your long-held views can go out of the window.
I even found myself suggesting things he should say to the girl (who I have met a few times) about the benefits of not having a baby at this time in her life and while she is not in a loving, long-term relationship.
My friend isn't a complete bastard. In fact, he is one of the nicest people I know. He put up with an awful lot of manipulation and I would suggest, emotional bullying, from his previous, long term girlfriend. He has made it clear that if she has the baby he will support her and the baby but it will not make them into a couple.
What are your views on abortion? Has a personal experience informed your opinion on it? As I said, I used to consider myself anti-abortion but after this weekend, I'm not entitled to describe myself this way any more.