Gabriella Leon

Source 1: “Abortion out loud, Abortion stories”, Erica’s story.

https://www.advocatesforyouth.org/abortion-out-loud/abortion-out-loud-abortion-storytelling/



Summary:

I believe it would be more beneficial to provide a firsthand experience of somebody that made the decision to abort, in this specific story Hearing the voice of a Woman who at first was not on board with having an abortion but changed her mind when she was suddenly pregnant. It provides a prime example of how people will never utterly understand you or why you did what you did unless they are in your shoes. It is precisely why the opinion of the public has no place in woman rights nor business to terminating their personal pregnancy. The woman named Erica gives the reader an insight into her life growing up describing how she grew up around liberals who frowned upon pregnancy before marriage and her partner came from an extremely religious family where she already knew abortion was not even considered an option. Erica was overwhelmed with a whole cycle of emotions, especially considering she did not plan this pregnancy. She was fine one day and now her life flipped upside down completely. She goes into saying that alongside being adopted, She was raised with her first instinct to never have an abortion but now considering was greeted with welcoming advice and an excellent option of recourses,she describes the women and department she spoke with that helped her as angels. With everything she was provided with and thankfully with the support of people around her, Erica decided abortion was the best decision for her at the time.

Key quotes:

“Thoughts raced through my mind – what does it mean to be pregnant? How do I move through a space that is completely unfamiliar and unexpected? What does it mean to be thrown into a reality that has no map and is filled with such uncertainty?



“It was an unspoken agreement in my family that pregnancy before marriage was unacceptable, though abortion was never spoken to openly. Besides, as an adoptee I decided early on that I would never have an abortion – it would simply be hypocritical.”

“The second person I spoke to was my therapist. She held me with loving eyes and hugged me as I expressed my fears and disbelief. She guided me to a midwifery clinic that was on the other end of the building. I believe I was met with angels that day. The women in this clinic jumped to action and set me up with one of their directors to talk through options.”

“The truth of my resistance of having an abortion greeted me one early morning: my beliefs around God and death. This came as a great surprise, as my family did not speak of such topics. Yet here I was, holding myself hostage over these beliefs I picked up from somewhere”

“At the time, I didn’t recognize this privilege and now, I see how many choices I had in this situation. The journey of healing has been one that has required a deep presence, expansive patience, and unconditional love.”

Rhetorical analysis:

Erica has provided an excellent point of view and an experience that can shift the thoughts of hundred even millions of women scared and on the fence of a pregnancy they did not plan nor were ready for. Women all over the world have been raised and told what to think about a decision that should only ultimately be theirs. Nobody should be able to tell you how to go about a decision that will solely change the rest of your life, not theirs. This does not mean that people are not entitled to their own opinions, a line should be drawn when it comes to making mine illegal just because it is something you personally disagree with. Pregnancy is way too big of a life changing decision to decide to embark on the journey of motherhood just because you’re told it’s whats right do, knowing that is not how you feel internally.

Erica mentions the fact that her beliefs had a grip on her whilst making her decision and this relates to the fact that religion has been such a huge toll on the shoulders of women who can simply just not handle a pregnancy at that given moment. Women have been brainwashed by a certain form of culture to believe that if you abort, you are hindering Gods perception of you forever. As someone who grew up in a church most of my childhood, I can vouch that abortion is looked down on to an extreme, and it was not surprising to hear that this was a factor holding her on the fence about her decision. What I can say its taught that God loves you and understands you and that is nobody’s business but between you and your Lord and what you believe. You should always do what is right for you because God will love you regardless of what others say he will “punish” you for.

Erica mentions that being adopted was what really made her personally never feel like
Abortion should be an option for her. This connects to the fact that adoption can have such a huge effect on a child’s life and really form so many ways of that person solely based off the fact that they were adopted. One can infer that having an abortion can make a child feel like being put up for adoption can appear, that you were unwanted and unloved when that is not always the case. Giving up your child or the chance to be a mother through abortion does not mean you did not love your creation; you just were not ready and that is okay. It is your human right to back out of something you just are not comfortable with or are not ready to commit to. It is way better than deciding to have a child you know you cannot truly provide for mentally or physically, exposing the child to conditions nobody should go through.

Conclusion:

To summarize everything that has been stated so far, Erica has provided a firsthand experience of someone who at first would never even consider having an abortion and turned it into a learning experience for women just like her. Coming from a liberal and religious family n top of her own personal beliefs, her story can help so many other woman who need help on their personal journeys. Hopefully, this helps broadens the knowledge of those against abortion.