Tori Wilson
Lantern Staff
Recently an amendment to the Kansas Constitution has passed the Kansas Senate that would allow Kansas lawmakers to make laws that could restrict abortion. The amendment luckily was four votes shy of passing the Kansas House of Representatives.
Personally, I was against this amendment being passed. A woman should be the person in charge of making decisions regarding her body rather than primarily male lawmakers.
There are many reasons as to why this amendment should not be put into effect. Firstly, and most importantly, a woman should not have to carry a baby to term that is the product of rape. The act of rape is traumatic enough without the woman having a permanent reminder to care for.
Although not all abortions are because of rape and that is in my opinion, the reason for this belief ultimately boils down to the fact that if a woman is not prepared for a child, the child will not adequately be cared for and would lead to the child’s suffering. A woman lacks the financial resources to care for a child will not be able to provide basic needs for the child such as food, clothing and healthcare. Some women get abortions due to a lack of emotional readiness for a child. Forcing women with these issues to carry a child to term could lead to future abuse and neglect of a child.
Women have abortions for a variety of reasons and really it is nobody’s business except hers. It’s her body and commitment; therefore, it should be her decision. Many would argue that the women could just give the child up for adoption. This poses some issues within itself. Firstly, the woman may not be able to afford adequate healthcare in order to fully monitor the pregnancy. Secondly, hundreds of thousands of children are currently in the U.S. foster care system. Roughly over a hundred thousand are eligible for adoption according to adoption.org. This leaves many children in the system for a majority if not all their childhood.
If this amendment had been ratified to the Kansas Constitution, I believe it would have led to the pain and suffering for unwanted children. It also could have put women in danger of seeking out unprofessional medical care in order to terminate the pregnancy. This subjects the woman to possibly life-threatening consequences. By this amendment being voted out it protects women and children in Kansas.