I was looking through the message boards and found one about abortions. i found that literally no one agrees with me. im pro choice and everyone on there is pro life and reading some of their arguments made me feel really guilty. Even though i dont agree i do respect their opinions but its making me feel like im all alone with this opinion.
Can you please help me?
thanks,
Sam
Hi there,
Abortion is a difficult and complicated topic and everyone has to make up their own mind how they feel about it. Lots of people believe women have the right to choose whether they have an abortion or not, but there are others who aren’t comfortable with abortion. It's okay to have your own opinion on things and everyone has a right to say what they think.
No matter what the issue is, if you have an opinion on something then there will always be people who think the opposite. Sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one who thinks the way you do - but that’s probably not true. There might be times when you’re in the majority and in those times it's always good to be aware of how people who have a different, less popular opinion might feel, or how someone who’s had an abortion may feel about people talking about it. Having respect for one another is the best way for everyone to understand different views - even if they don't agree with them. Keep an open mind and be willing to change your mind - but also be sure to get the facts and question things as well.
In the UK women do have a choice about abortion and can get an abortion up to 24 weeks into the pregnancy - though around 90% of abortions are within the first 12 weeks. It’s a personal choice to have an abortion or not and nobody can really make that decision except the person going through it. People get abortions for all kinds of reasons - some of them might be for medical reasons or some may be because they’ve been raped. Sometimes people just don't want to be pregnant and that's their reason - and that's okay too.
It's important to remember that being pro-choice doesn't mean someone is pro-abortion, it simply means they think that women should have the option to have an abortion if they want it. There are many people who feel like everyone has the right to choose but have personal reasons for being against abortion - and that's okay. Having the right to choose also means that women can choose not to have an abortion. It also means that someone who would never have an abortion themselves can support the right for other people to make a different choice.
If you’re faced with the decision about whether to continue with a pregnancy or not it can really help to talk it through with someone. Our counsellors won't judge and are not going to try to convince you one way or the other - they're there to listen and help you make a decision yourself.
I hope this has helped, thanks for your letter.
Take care,
Sam
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