How Abortion Changed the World

A Door into Ocean (Cover, Alan Pollack ©)

Salon reprints an excerpt on "How Abortion Changed the World," much of which I was ignorant of until reading the article.

However, if anyone pushed me to the wall, and asked about my own passions in public health, I'd say "legalising abortion" was at the top of the list.

I've been asked time and time again what I mean, and what I generally say is, "that I don't advocate abortion in itself, but advocate for choice."

What that means is I don't advocate that women use abortion as a birth control measure, but rather that if pregnant, women have the right to think through their choices and consider abortion among them.

Too often and in many countries, including regions in the United States, choice is not an option.

I've always wondered and fantasised what stance males would take if they were the ones who carried the children, and undoubtedly others fantasised, too, as is evidenced by several science fiction books.

What would men advocate if they wandered in Herland or The Cleft.

Or how would they feel if we reproduced by parthenogenesis as described in Joan Slonczewski's book, A Door into Ocean.

Just some rainy day thoughts.