Dear Future President,

I know the world is not perfect; I know not everyone can be pleased. But, I can see most of the wrong that exists in this country. People try to shield the young generation, but we can see. And, one of the things I see, is women being stripped of the very basis of their freedom, the right to choose. Abortion is a very sensitive and touchy subject, which is why it must be talked about.

Women are already treated unfairly, and I, being only 13, have seen this first hand on many occasions. And as a growing independent woman, I want to be able to speak my mind. If not that, the least would be to have a say about what goes on with my body. I know I am only 13, and I am not planning on having an abortion, but if a problem arises, I would want a choice. I wouldn't want it to be set in stone what I do with my own body.

Mistakes happen, we all know that, so how come when a woman makes a mistake, people say she has to live with it. If you are forced into a pregnancy you didn’t want, you should be able to get out of it. A women could be raped, and that will be a very traumatic experience. So when she glances at her child, memories will come flooding back. Even if it wasn’t something as extreme as that, everytime that child looks at her, she will think about the pregnancy she was forced into by law, a law telling how to live her personal life.

Many women feel that they are “forced to have a child they don’t want to have,” according to the Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. Why are people having a say in what a woman does with her body? It is none of their business what someone else does with their body, and, really, their life. Because pregnancy can and will change someone's life. The biggest reason women have abortions is because they cannot fund the child; the second biggest is problems with the relationship. If they do not believe that the can have a happy, healthy baby, they should not be forced to.

And if a man is allowed to walk out on his child, why can’t a woman? A man can walk out no strings attached, but it’s a big, hot topic if a woman can? But that’s just gender inequality at its finest, and that’s for another time and another letter.

The opposite side of being pro-choice, is being pro-life. In my opinion, pro-life is saying “I know what’s best for you;” pro-choice is saying “you know what’s best for you.” The pro-life’s side of this say that abortion is murder and you are killing a baby. They also try to argue that the baby will feel everything. But, according to ProChoiceAmerica.org, after “tests of cortical function, we found out the fetus doesn’t feel pain until 25-30 weeks.” And, according to that same website, only “1.3% of abortions take place after 21 weeks.” So for 98.7% of the time, it is done when the fetus can’t feel anything and really isn’t aware about what is going on. Pro- life people will also say to just go through with the pregnancy and put the child up for adoption. But, according to Votesmart.org, “childbirth is one of the most painful things a woman can go through,” so could you imagine being forced through it? That would make everything even harder on the mother. The child would then go into the adoption agency, and could be cast away, never having a home. Never feeling like it belongs. This can cause many things, such as depression, and just feeling unwanted. Now to find out that your own mother didn’t want you, can you imagine how terrible that would be?

This issue matters because people are very concerned and sympathetic about children, but why is their life cared more for than the woman carrying them? We seem to be making the life of the fetus, more important than hers. The mother is completely conscious and aware of what is happening unlike the fetus; therefore, she should be prioritized over the fetus. Why is pro- life all about saving the “child”--what about the mother? Why is her life put in danger for a child she doesn’t want because, pregnancy is a risk.

So, Mr. or Mrs. President, please keep abortion legal. Because if you don’t, it will be done illegally and that could hurt the mother and fetus more. Are you really going to tell a woman what to do with her own body? Forcing her to have an unwanted pregnancy? I feel that it is a woman’s body, so it should be her choice what to do with it. Because there isn’t a difference between women who get abortions and women who don’t, they are all the same, just at different parts in their life. Are you going to make a woman go through, “one of the most painful things a woman can go through,” all on her own. Is this something you want to be held responsible for?

Sincerely,

Darian F., Pennsylvania