Yes, abortion is an LGBTQ+ issue. If anti-abortion Republicans—those who want to control access to abortions—can dictate women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive health choices, can’t you see them doing the same to the LGBTQ+ community? They already are. So, let’s discuss why abortion rights should matter to everyone who values freedom of choice and personal liberty.
Why is it that those who oppose abortion are so deeply concerned about the precious fetus but, once it’s born and becomes a living human being, resist paying taxes to support this child’s welfare? Pro-life hypocrisy reveals itself here. These same politicians who push for anti-abortion laws often oppose funding for childcare, healthcare access, and quality education.
What about the states where it’s nearly impossible to obtain an abortion before a woman even realizes she’s pregnant? In situations where carrying the pregnancy to term could endanger her life, the state might still criminalize her for seeking a life-saving procedure. Is she really being forced to choose between jail or death? Some argue that she could travel to a state where abortion is legal, but abortion access isn’t that simple. What happens when those who assist her in seeking an abortion are criminalized? In some places, abortion laws are so harsh that everyone involved could face prison time.
Let’s break this down: In some states right now, a woman can be imprisoned for getting an abortion to save her own life. This means the state is deciding that the fetus is more important than the living, breathing woman. Aren’t they deciding who gets to live? I thought that was supposed to be God’s job.
Many of the same people who oppose abortion are the ones who complain about taxes funding school meals, public education, and child welfare programs. They’ll fight to protect the fetus until it’s born, then abandon it because they don’t want to pay higher taxes to ensure that child is clothed, housed, and educated.
And let’s not forget Donald Trump’s absurd claim about abortion. He’s falsely claimed that pro-choice candidates “even want abortion after birth.” Oh, Donald—that’s called murder. Not a single state in America allows that. But there are politicians, like Trump, who would let a mother die rather than allow her access to an abortion.
To sum it up: Protect the fetus until it’s born, then abandon it because you don’t want to pay higher taxes. This logic makes no sense.
Trump’s false narrative only deepens the confusion around the abortion debate. His statements about pro-choice advocates wanting “abortion after birth” are laughable at best, but dangerous at worst, as they mislead many people about the reality of abortion laws.
In a previous column, I wrote that you needed to vote as though your marriage depended on it, because Trump and his Supreme Court appointees would erase marriage equality. If you love your spouse and you love the women closest to you, know that it’s essential to vote. This fight for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and basic human rights is far from over. Your vote matters—for your marriage, for your loved ones, and for everyone’s future.
