This personal essay explores the complex emotions of motherhood and the author's perspective on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It discusses the challenges and joys of parenthood while emphasizing the importance of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.
Feeling conflicting emotions about being a mother. My daughter is both the best part of my life and has also changed every single element of it drastically. I love her to pieces, but I still end some days feeling more than I ever thought possible. There’s a certain amount of guilt that comes with admitting all of this, but I think it’s also essential for parents to talk about the importance of holding space for these complex feelings.
It’s also because of these feelings that I feel so strongly about this: Being a mother should be a choice. I have always been what some would call “pro-choice,” which is to say, I believe that a pregnant person should be able to make their own decisions about their body and healthcare, including the choice between themselves and their healthcare provider. At the time, abortion was a constitutional right in America, so it was never something I gave all that much thought to. In my mind, I didn’t foresee a circumstance I would personally go through with an abortion, but I certainly didn’t feel it was my right to make that decision for others. Of course, 2022 changed all of that. A major Supreme Court decision overturned the previous federal standards and constitutional right to an abortion, and (with no real exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the patient), far before many people would even realize they are pregnant. As the Supreme Court decision was publicly announced, I sat in my living room with my one-month-old daughter. I was sleep-deprived, hormonal, still in pain from an emergency C-section, and solely in charge of a fragile little creature. My heart was filled with love for this little girl whose father and I had so desperately wanted. But I was also filled with rage, looking down at her and realizing that, with seven states banning the procedure at or before 18 weeks. Many of these states do not allow exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the parent
Motherhood Reproductive Rights Abortion Roe V. Wade Bodily Autonomy
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