Philosophers On the Ethics and Politics of Abortion

Philosophers On the Ethics and Politics of Abortion

By Justin Weinberg
June 10, 2019

This year, nine U.S. states have passed legislation that bans early abortions in an attempt to provoke a challenge to the abortion rights protected by the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, "The current U.S. Supreme Court standard holds that states may prohibit abortion after fetal viability so long as there are exceptions for the life and health (both physical and mental) of the woman. Under this legal standard, viability—which can range from 24 to 28 weeks after the start of the woman’s last menstrual period (LMP)—must be determined on an individual basis, and determinations of both fetal viability and the woman’s health are at the discretion of the patient’s physician. In addition, states may not require that additional physicians confirm an attending physician’s judgment that the woman’s life or health is at risk in cases of medical emergency."

In light of this recent legislative activity, the political intensity of the subject, and the complex moral and legal questions surrounding it, I took the advice of a few readers and put together this entry for the Philosophers On series on the ethics and politics of abortion.

Continued: http://dailynous.com/2019/06/10/philosophers-on-ethics-politics-abortion/


Denying the right to an abortion is a form of tyranny

Denying the right to an abortion is a form of tyranny

Terry Bellamak
May 30 2019

OPINION: Alfred Ngaro speaks of poking bears. But bears come in all shapes, sizes, and political persuasions. And Ngaro has also poked a bear.

Last week, the National list MP claimed New Zealanders who have received abortion care couldn't possibly feel criminalised by accessing medical care that is criminalised. This ridiculous claim has inspired many women to speak out in a string of excellent articles: Paula Penfold, Liz Beddoe, Emma Espiner, Sophie Bateman, and Michelle Hickman. Many voices have risen up in defence of the basic human right to access medical care without judgment.

Continued: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113091631/denying-the-right-to-an-abortion-is-a-form-of-tyranny


Pro Life is a Lie – dismantling the anti-choice spin

Pro Life is a Lie - dismantling the anti-choice spin
By Nic S, Emmanuel
Date Wed, 4 Oct 2017

When pro-choice militants argue that their struggle is the continuation of a historical fight against the oppression of women, they are met with a pro-life movement which attempts to symmetrically paint itself as fighting for the rights of ‘‘the unborn child'', a category which would otherwise remain defenseless and be sentenced to life or death by their bearers. ---- But both sides are far from holding symmetrical views. For one thing, while people who can get pregnant initiated the pro-choice movement, there is no doubt embryos didn't start the pro-life movement. No pro-life advocate would deny this trivial statement, if anything they would use the voicelessness of "the unborn" as an argument to emphasise the unfair nature of abortion rights.

While it is easy to understand why one group would be motivated to fight for their own interests, explaining why a group would me motivated to fight on behalf of another group is not as straightforward. Pro-life advocates would have us believe that they are fighting for the "unborn child" first and foremost out of a strong sense of empathy and out of an unremitting commitment to defend the human right to life. The problem is that this is demonstrably untrue. Far from being satisfying explanations, empathy and adhesion to moral principles don't even qualify as partial explanations for the commitment of pro-life advocates.

Continued at source: Anarchist Info: http://www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos35763.html


From Dublin to Brussels demand universal access to abortion by International Sec – WSM

From Dublin to Brussels demand universal access to abortion by International Sec - WSM
Date Sun, 1 Oct 2017 10:53:10 +0300

The Workers Solidarity Movement in Ireland is in full support of the protests in Brussels on the 28th September demanding a guaranteed, free, and accessible access to abortion across Europe. The EU has stood by idly while the bodily autonomy of pregnant people continues to be violated by some member states including Ireland and Malta. It has similarly done nothing while other member states progressively attack reproductive rights based on the political whimsy of the controlling parties of ever-increasing conservative governments. We hope the this mobilisation will demonstrate the united commitment to reproductive freedom for all. ---- We stand with you in spirit as we prepare for our own mobilisation on the 30th of September for the Dublin March for Choice and it appears almost certain a constitutional referendum to remove the ban on abortion next summer. The text that follows is our position paper on abortion rights agreed by WSM national conference this summer.

Continued at source: http://www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos35741.html