Albert Wynn and Gloria Feldt on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to rally for abortion rights on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Abortion debate Part of the abortion series Movements Pro-choice Pro-life Issues of discussion - Breast cancer - CPCs - Crime effect - Ethics - Fetal pain - Fetal rights - Genetics - Late-term - Libertarianism - Mental health - Minors - Paternal rights - Philosophy - Public opinion - Religion - Self-induced - Sex-selection - Unsafe abortion - Women's rights - Violence

Pro-choice describes the political and ethical view that a woman should have complete control over her fertility and pregnancy. Albert Russell Wynn (born September 10 1951 was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing the 4th district of The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Roe v Wade, 410 US 113 (1973 is a controversial United States Supreme Court case that resulted in a Landmark decision regarding The abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of Abortion. An Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation The abortion-breast cancer (ABC hypothesis (supporters call it the abortion-breast cancer link posits that induced Abortion increases the risk of developing Breast cancer Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs also known as pregnancy resource centers are Non-profit organizations established by Pro-life supporters that work to persuade The legalized abortion and crime effect is the controversial Theory that legal Abortion reduces Crime. The ethical aspects of Abortion are much discussed in all major philosophies and Religions in the world particularly (but not exclusively in the Christian Fetal pain, its existence and its implications are part of a larger debate about Abortion. The term fetal rights can refer either to legal rights accorded to Fetuses or to ethical rights of fetuses The genetics and abortion issue is an extension of the Abortion debate and the Disability rights movement Late-term abortions are Abortions which are performed during a later stage of Pregnancy. Libertarians promote individual liberty and seek to minimize the role of the state The relationship between induced Abortion and Mental health is an area of controversy Many jurisdictions have laws applying to minors and abortion. The paternal rights and abortion issue is an extension of both the Abortion debate and the Fathers' rights movement The philosophical aspects of the abortion debate are presented in the form of a number of Logical arguments which can be made in support of or opposition to Abortion Societal attitudes towards abortion have varied throughout different historal periods and Cultures One manner of assessing such attitudes in the modern era has been Many religious traditions have taken a stance on Abortion, and these stances span a broad spectrum from acceptance to rejection A self-induced abortion is an Abortion performed outside the recognized medical system Sex-selective abortion is the targeted Abortion of a Fetus based upon its Sex. According to the World Health Organization (WHO an unsafe abortion is the termination of an unintended pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an Abortion-related violence, or anti-abortion violence, is criminal violence committed against individuals and organizations that provide Abortion. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life Fertility is the natural capability of giving life As a measure "Fertility Rate" is the number of children born per couple person or population Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female This entails the guarantee of reproductive rights, which includes access to sexual education; access to safe and legal abortion, contraception, and fertility treatments; and legal protection from forced abortion. Reproductive rights are Rights relating to reproduction and Reproductive health. Sex education is a broad term used to describe Education about human sexual anatomy, Sexual reproduction, Sexual intercourse, Reproductive An Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions devices or Medications followed in order to deliberately prevent Female infertility|Male infertility Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a Man or a Woman to contribute to conception. An Individuals and organizations who support these positions make up the pro-choice movement.

Some people who are pro-choice see abortion as a last resort and focus on a number of situations where they feel abortion is a necessary option. Among these situations are those where the woman was raped, her health or life (or that of the fetus) is at risk, contraception was used but failed, or she feels unable to raise a child. Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions devices or Medications followed in order to deliberately prevent Some pro-choice moderates, who would otherwise be willing to accept certain restrictions on abortion, feel that political pragmatism compels them to oppose any such restrictions, as they could be used to form a slippery slope against all abortions. Slippery Slope is a 2006 independent film starring Tony Award -winning actor Dan Fogler. ^[1]

On the issue of abortion, pro-choice campaigners are opposed by pro-life campaigners who argue that the central issue is a completely different set of rights. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation The pro-life view considers human fetuses and embryos to have the full legal rights of a human being; thus, the right to life of a developing fetus or embryo trumps the woman's right to bodily autonomy, although some pro-lifers believe that abortion should be legal in the case where the woman's life is at serious risk.

Overview

Pro-choice advocates emphasize their beliefs that having a child is a personal choice that affects a woman's body and personal health. They believe that both parents' and children's lives are better when the government allows women to have abortions, thus preventing women from going to desperate lengths to obtain illegal abortions, while simultaneously assuring that a larger percentage of children born are wanted by their parents. An

More broadly, pro-choice advocates, frame their beliefs in terms of "individual liberty," "reproductive freedom," and "reproductive rights. " The first of these terms was widely used to describe many of the political movements of the 19th and 20th centuries (such as in the abolition of slavery in Europe and the United States, and in the spread of popular democracy), whereas the latter terms derive from changing perspectives on sexual freedom and bodily integrity. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on

Pro-choice individuals often do not consider themselves "pro-abortion" because they consider abortion an issue of bodily autonomy, and find forced abortion as legally indefensible as the outlawing of abortion. Indeed, some who are pro-choice consider themselves opposed to some or all abortions on a moral basis, but believe that abortion bans imperil women's health. Others have a practical acceptance of abortion, arguing that abortions would happen in any case but that legal abortion under medically controlled conditions is preferable to illegal back-alley abortion without proper medical supervision. According to the World Health Organization (WHO an unsafe abortion is the termination of an unintended pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an

Pro-choice supporters frequently oppose legislative measures that would require abortion providers to make certain statements (some of which are factually disputed) to patients, because they argue that these measures are intended to make obtaining abortions more difficult. These measures fall under the rubric of abortion-specific "informed consent" or "right to know" laws. Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given Consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts implications ^[2]

Many pro-choice campaigners also argue that pro-life policies would deny women access to comprehensive sex education and contraception, thus increasing, not decreasing, demand for abortion. ^[3] Proponents of this argument point to cases of areas with limited sex education and contraceptive access that have high abortion rates, either legal, illegal or de facto exported (i.e., where a high proportion of abortions from a state occur outside that state in another country with a more liberal abortion regime). F G H I L The Irish women who visit the United Kingdom for abortions are one example, as were the Belgian women who travelled to France (before Belgium legalized abortion). Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The statistics on the Irish abortion rate in the United Kingdom remain disputed. A lack of an independent methodology for verification of origins means that estimations as to whether the number of Irish people getting British abortions is higher (i. e. , not all those getting abortions are declaring their nationality, with some passing themselves off as British) or lower (with some British women or British women of Irish descent claiming to have travelled from Ireland as a way to ensure that hospitals cannot seek medical information from their doctors, so preserving their complete anonymity). The rival campaigning groups on abortion each use selective interpretations and presumptions to bolster their analysis, in part because the lack of independent methodology makes each other's claims impossible to disprove. As with many issues involving political framing, these claims are controversial.

Pro-choice campaigns worldwide

See also: Abortion law

Pro-choice activists before the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., at the March for Women's Lives in 2004

United States

Prior to 1973, abortion was not subject to United States constitutional law, but was purely a matter for the individual states, all of whom chose to apply some nature of restriction. Abortion law is legislation which pertains to the provision of Abortion. The Washington Monument is a large tall sand-colored Obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The March for Women's Lives was a demonstration for Reproductive rights and Women's rights, held April 25, 2004 on the National Mall The first legal restrictions on abortion appeared in the 1820s, forbidding abortion after the fourth month of pregnancy. By 1900, legislators at the urgings of the American Medical Association had enacted anti-abortion laws in most U. The American Medical Association (AMA founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897 is the largest association of Physicians and Medical students in the United States S. states. ^[4] In its landmark 1973 case, Roe v. Wade where a woman challenged the Texas laws criminalizing abortion, the U.S. Supreme Court reached two important conclusions:

• That abortion law was a federal constitutional law issue, not a state one, and was therefore subject to the Constitution of the United States and federal law;^[5]
• That the procurement of an abortion was a constitutional right during the first and second trimesters of a pregnancy based on the constitutional right to privacy, but that the state's interest in protecting "potential life" prevailed in the third trimester unless the woman's health was at risk. Roe v Wade, 410 US 113 (1973 is a controversial United States Supreme Court case that resulted in a Landmark decision regarding Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The term criminal law, sometimes called penal law, refers to any of various bodies of rules in different Jurisdictions whose common characteristic is the potential The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female In subsequent rulings, the Court rejected the trimester framework altogether in favor of a cutoff at the point of fetal viability (Cf. Planned Parenthood v. Casey). Planned Parenthood v Casey, 505 US 833 ( 1992) was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Constitutionality

Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Organization for Women, and the American Civil Liberties Union are the leading pro-choice advocacy and lobbying groups in the United States. Planned Parenthood is the collective name of organizations worldwide who are members of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF NARAL Pro-Choice America (pronounced "NAY-ral" is a Pro-choice organization in the United States that engages in political action to oppose restrictions The National Organization for Women ( NOW) is the largest American Feminist organization The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses Lobbying includes all attempts to influence Legislators and officials whether by other legislators constituents or organized groups Most major feminist organizations also support pro-choice positions, although there are also pro-life feminist organizations, such as Feminists for Life. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate http//wwwplannedparenthoodorg/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/abortion-access/antichoice-organizations-6127

In the United States, the Democratic Party's platform endorses the pro-choice position, stating that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ^[6] Not all Democrats agree with the platform, however, and there is a small pro-life faction within the party, expressed in such groups as Democrats for Life of America. Democrats for Life of America (DFLA is an Advocacy group in the United States attempting to reshape the political left primarily the Democratic Party, ^[7] Although the 2004 Republican platform is pro-life, advocating a Human Life Amendment to the constitution banning abortion,^[8] there are several nationally prominent Republicans who identify themselves as pro-choice, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New York Governor George Pataki, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and late former President Gerald Ford. The Human Life Amendment is the name for any amendment to the United States Constitution that would have the effect of overturning Roe v The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. KBE Per, "Postnominal letters should be included when they are issued by a country or organization the subject has been closely associated with George Elmer Pataki (born June 24, 1945) is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York serving three consecutive Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( German ˌaɐnɔlt aloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənɛɡɐ born July 30 1947 is an Austrian American Bodybuilder, Actor Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (July 14 1913 December 26 2006 was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 and the fortieth Vice President

Two polls were released in May 2007 asking Americans "With respect to the abortion issue, would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life?" A CNN poll found 45% said pro-choice and 50% said pro-life. ^[9] Within the following week, a Gallup poll found 49% responding pro-choice and 45% pro-life. ^[10]

Revolutionary Socialist Party poster from Portugal, translation: "Neither the Pope, nor the judges, nor the police; the women will decide - legal and free abortion. The Revolutionary Socialist Party (in Portuguese: Partido Socialista Revolucionário, pron. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. "

Europe

Most European countries have legalized abortion (in at least some cases) through certain laws (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, etc. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland ). Russia, which has one of the highest rates of abortion in the world, legalised the procedure in 1955. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[11]

In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats are predominantly pro-choice parties, though with significant minorities in each either holding extremely restrictive definitions of the right to choose, or subscribing to a pro-life analysis. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Conservative Party is more evenly split between both camps. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom.

Africa

South Africa allows abortion under its Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Most African nations, however, have abortion bans except in cases where the woman's life or health is at risk. A number of pro-choice international organizations have made altering abortion laws and expanding family planning services in sub-Saharan Africa and the developing world a top priority. Family planning is frequently used to mean that people plan when to have children using Birth control, preconceptional counseling. Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties ^[12]

Worldwide

International status of abortion law      Legal on request      Legal for rape, maternal life, health, mental health, socioeconomic factors, and/or fetal defects      Legal for or illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, fetal defects, and/or mental health      Illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, and/or mental health      Illegal with exception for maternal life, health, and/or mental health      Illegal with no exceptions      Varies by region      No information

The issue of abortion remains one of the most divisive in public life, with most political parties in democracies divided on the issue, and continuing battles to liberalise or restrict access to legal abortion. Pro-choice groups are active in all states, campaigning for legal abortion with varying degrees of success. Few states allow abortion without limitation or regulation, but most do allow various limited forms of abortion. Pro-choice campaigners themselves are frequently divided as to the types of abortion that should be available, and whether access to abortion should be unrestricted or restricted, and if the latter, then to what level.

Term controversy

Both "pro-choice" and "pro-life" are examples of political framing: they are terms which purposely try to define their philosophies in the best possible light, while by definition attempting to describe their opposition in the worst possible light ("Pro-choice" implies the alternative viewpoint is "anti-choice", while "pro-life" implies the alternative viewpoint is "pro-death" or "anti-life"). A frame in Social theory consists of a schema of interpretation, that is a collection of Stereotypes that individuals rely on to understand and respond Similarly each side's use of the term "rights" ("reproductive rights", "right to life of the unborn") implies a validity in their stance, given that the presumption in language is that rights are inherently a good thing and so implies an invalidity in the viewpoint of their opponents. (In liberal democracies, a right is seen as something the state and civil society must defend, whether human rights, victims' rights, children's rights, etc. Many states use the word rights in fundamental laws and constitutions to define basic civil principles; both the United Kingdom and the United States possess a Bill of Rights. )

Pro-life and pro-choice individuals often use political framing to convey their perspective on the issues, and in some cases, to discredit opposing views. A frame in Social theory consists of a schema of interpretation, that is a collection of Stereotypes that individuals rely on to understand and respond Pro-life advocates tend to use terms such as "unborn baby," "unborn child," or "pre-born child"^[13][14]

See also

• Abortion fund
• Bioethics
• Clinic escort
• Feminism
• Pro-choice organizations
• Pro-life
• Reproductive rights

References

Sources & additional reading

Books

• Ninia Baehr, Abortion without Apology: A Radical History for the 1990s South End Press, 1990.
• Ruth Colker, Abortion & Dialogue: Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, and American Law Indiana University Press, 1992.
• Donald T. Critchlow, The Politics of Abortion and Birth Control in Historical Perspective Pennsylvania University Press, 1996.
• Myra Marx Ferree et al, Shaping Abortion Discourse: Democracy and the Public Sphere in Germany and the United States Cambridge University Press, 2002. C D E
• Marlene Gerber Fried, From Abortion to Reproductive Freedom: Transforming a Movement South End Press, 1990.
• Beverly Wildung Harrison, Our Right to Choose: Toward a New Ethic of Abortion Beacon Press, 1983.
• Suzanne Staggenborg, The Pro-Choice Movement: Organization and Activism in the Abortion Conflict, Oxford University Press, 1994.
• Raymond Tatalovich' The Politics of Abortion in the United States and Canada: A Comparative Study M. E. Sharpe, 1997

Articles & Journals

• Mary S. Alexander, "Defining the Abortion Debate" in ETC. : A Review of General Semantics, Vol. 50, 1993.
• David R. Carlin Jr. , "Going, Going, Gone: The Diminution of the Self" in Commonweal Vol. 120. 1993.
• Vijayan K. Pillai, Guang-Zhen Wang, "Women's Reproductive Rights, Modernization, and Family Planning Programs in Developing Countries: A Causal Model" in International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Vol. 40, 1999.
• Suzanne Staggenborg, "Organizational and Environmental Influences on the Development of the Pro-Choice Movement" in Social Forces, Vol. 68 1989.

External links

For a list of groups opposed to the pro-choice position, see Pro-life. Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation

• International Organizations
  • Ipas

• Australia
  • Children by Choice
  • Reproductive Choice Australia

• Canada
  • Canadian Federation for Sexual Health

• United States
  • Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
  • Center for Reproductive Health Education in Family Medicine
  • Center for Reproductive Rights
  • Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health
  • Republican Majority for Choice
  • Pro Choice Libertarians

• Ireland
  • Alliance for Choice

• Netherlands
  • StiSAN - Dutch Abortion Clinics Foundation