Expanding Abortion Does Not Protect Women
By Theresa Bonopartis
I am glad Governor Cuomo’s abortion expansion bill was defeated here in New York. While the Governor, Planned Parenthood and other pro abortion activists were busy pushing their bill, I was, as I always am, working with women and teens devastated from abortion.
It always amazes me that in the middle of these debates and pushes for legislation, the voices most often missing are those of the women who have actually been hurt by abortion, and believe me, there are millions of them out there.
The Guttmacher Institute even admits that ten percent of women suffer from abortions. That is only the ones who admit it! With over 54 million abortions in our country since 1973 we are speaking of millions of women. Who do you know? Someone, I am sure.
It amazes me how much time and effort is spent by Cuomo and others to protect and expand abortion in the name of women, yet sadly, legislation to truly protect them is not only not brought up, but fought against. They proclaim it is an attack on women’s rights to bring these protections up, and that it threatens the legality of abortion. Who do we honestly care for? The women or the act of abortion itself?
The recent “Women’s Equality Bill” had a lot of good issues in it, from equal pay to violence against women, but sadly, true care for women was held captive by the refusal to omit their extreme pro-abortion agenda. They thought it would surely pass on the back of the other issues which are so important. Thankfully, it did not.
People like Cuomo, Planned Parenthood, NARAL etc, are quick to dismiss the voices of those who have suffered greatly because of abortion. They claim to speak for all women but I can tell you that is very far from the truth. They deaden their ears to the cries of the teenager who lives with nightmares and regrets because she was pressured to abort. They deny the depression, anger, and feelings of guilt and shame of the women who lives were altered because of an abortion decision that they were told, and they believed, would solve their problems. They do not speak up when women experience violence by boyfriends or husband because they do not want abortions, or even against most cases of abortionists who injure or even kill women. If only Cuomo would show as much animation then, as he does when he shouts out, “their body, their choice.” Sadly, most times it is anything but their choice.
They quote research by pro-abortion Ph.D’s while ignoring those who have been there, saying there is no such thing as post abortion stress, or they blame it on religious beliefs instead of being the human rights issue it is, as if participating in taking the life of your own child were not enough to make you feel pain.
Personally, as I listen to the hearts of those who come to me, I am sickened by the repeated attempts of those who say they care for women trying to pass these bills while not doing anything to stop the violence of abortion on women.
If it were true that women were their concern, they would be introducing legislation to truly protect them. Instead, it seems they are looking to justify their own actions, keep the business of abortion lucrative, and pay back political favors.
On behalf of all the women whose have passed through our doors, I thank those in public office who helped defeat this bill. It is time the truth of abortion’s harm to millions of women is exposed and the protection and healing of them became first and foremost instead of the attempts to enshrine the act of abortion.
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Theresa Bonopartis is the founder of Lumina post-abortion ministry and works with the Sisters of Life on their “Entering Cannan” healing ministry. She also conducts training seminars for clergy and mental health professionals. This piece originally appeared on Lumina’s blog, and is reprinted with permission of the author.
Learn More:
Abortion Has No Benefits, But Does Have Risks, New Research Shows
It Was Never About “Choice” Anyway
Only Some Voices Count: Silencing Women After Abortion
Higher Death Rates After Abortion Found in U.S., Finland and Denmark: Studies Find Abortion Is Not Safer Than Childbirth
