Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which also makes it the annual Blog for Choice day. The organizers have asked us to share our stories about why we are pro-choice. Here’s mine.
As a monogamous lesbian, I’m not going to get pregnant through consensual sex—but that is no shield against sexual assault. As a woman, too—nay, as a human—I would never want to deny another woman a choice just because it is not one I am likely to face.
Additionally, as a lesbian, I support the right for anyone to create a family in whatever manner they choose (provided all parties are consenting). For me, the issue is as much about choosing how to create a child, and with whom, as it is about choosing not to do so. We can’t have one without the other.
It’s funny—the only time in my life I’ve ever used birth control was when my spouse and I were trying to have a child. (It was the best way to synch our cycles so I could donate an egg to her at the right time.) Still, I was certainly glad to have it at the time. Access to birth control, safe abortion services, and reproductive care is critical for both lesbians and straight women—we never know when we, or someone we love, might need it. Without full control of our bodies, we do not have full equality.
