Changing Perspectives: A New Outlook Margaret Williams PSY220 June 5, 2011 Amy Hennings

The journey one takes through life necessitates change, for without it one is not able to grow and gain new awakenings. The process of change is an inevitable part of life brought about through maturity, gained knowledge, and discovering one self. An individual may have what he or she feels is a sound perspective about any number of circumstances or situations. However, as information and knowledge of the cause of such situations are revealed, the individual may have a change in perspective and develop an entirely different outlook. A situation that comes to mind more than once is the decision made by many women facing unexpected pregnancies to get an abortion. Putting this in perspective, this woman may be judged as morally wrong and often referred to as a murderer as a result of her decision to terminate the unwanted pregnancy, especially by those who oppose abortion for any reason at all. However, there are also those who believe it is the right of the young woman to make that decision whatever the reason may be. Let us consider the following scenario: a young girl is sexually molested by young man she has only just met. As a result, she becomes pregnant. The young girl feels as though she is not ready for the responsibilities of parenthood and makes the choice to have an abortion. Many of her friends, lacking knowledge of the entire circumstance, attempt to persuade her to change her mind, while only a few support her decision. The young girl, knowing she is not emotionally, mentally, or physically ready to become a mother, follows through with her choice and terminates the unexpected and undesired pregnancy. The young girl is now frowned upon by those with a belief that abortion is wrong. The sadness of the situation is they are not aware of the circumstances that created the problem: sexual molestation. Abortion, a highly controversial topic, is viewed by a large population of the United States population as being immoral and inhumane. Religious beliefs play a large role in a person's decision to be supportive of abortion or to take a stance in opposition to it. According to a report published by The

Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, some religions opposing abortion are Christians, Catholics, Orthodox, and some Protestant denominations to name a few. These religious organizations practice and teach the belief that abortion is against the commandment Thou shalt not kill. A recent Gallup Poll suggests those identifying themselves as pro-life are beginning to outnumber those calling themselves pro-choice. The results of the poll indicate 51% as pro-life with only 42% as pro-choice (Mahar, 2009). Abortion in the United States remains legal, but laws do vary from state to state. Many states including Oklahoma require the offering of ultrasound by doctors at which time they are also to make sure the expectant mother fully understands the possibly physical and psychological consequences of the abortion procedure (Mahar, 2009). Looking at the same scenario from a different perspective, from the eyes of people in the neighborhood, many may determine that the pregnancy is a result of promiscuity. Often times, in such given situations, these people will often consider abortion as a wrong choice. People come to a conclusion that if a young girl is mature enough to become sexually active, she should also be mature enough to take on the responsibility of the parenting model for the unborn child. Often times, such judgments are made without knowledge of the entire circumstance at hand. People also have a tendency to jump to a snap judgment about the situation without taking the time to gain a full understanding of the particular situation. This is why it is important to know all the facts and make one self familiar with all the possible alternatives before reaching a conclusion. Snap judgments of situations often make the person make the judgment look somewhat foolish. Put yourself in the shoes of that young girl for a time and decide what you would do if you were in her predicament. Yes, there are alternatives to abortion, but we must determine whether the pros of those alternatives are going to outweigh the pros of the abortion. Before making a judgment, look at the whole picture, then make your decision. Do not allow snap judgments of a situation make you look like a fool. If we were to take a look at the same given scenario: a young girl becoming pregnant as a result of sexual molestation, with the circumstances being fully known, many people will recognize that they

may have been wrong in condemning the young girl for her choice to seek an abortion. Although there are alternatives to abortion, the young girl may feel the abortion to be in her best interest. In this particular situation, the decision should be left up to the female victim of the sexual molestation. After all, it is not fair to force her to endure nine months of pregnancy only to have a child that she may feel vengeance towards, as a result of the rape. There is always the possibility that if the young girl carries the baby full term, the hate shown toward the unwanted child may outweigh the love and bonding that occurs during the pregnancy. This itself may result in some very tragic results. Personally, I am a person in support of a woman's choice. I do not believe the right to make the decision to have an abortion should be controlled by our government or by anyone else for that matter. This decision should be in the hands of the woman who is considering the option. If I were the young girl in the scenario above, I would want to be able to make the decision myself as to whether to carry the unwanted child full term and seek other alternatives, or to terminate the pregnancy in an attempt to eliminate the primary reminder of a very traumatic experience in my life. I will choose to seek out alternatives in this particular situation, but I will not judge others as a result of their decision. I want others to be understanding and supportive of my decisions just as I will be of theirs.

References

Mahar, Maggie, 28 May 2009. Are Views on Abortion Changing? Retrieved from http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2009/05/are-views-on-abortion-changing.html Retrieved on June 5, 2011 Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), 2011. Religious Views on Abortion. Retrieved from http://www.spuc.org.uk/students/abortion/religion. Retrieved on June 5, 2011