The Pro-Choice Argument

In the United States in this day and age, it's a little surprising for me to discover that there are still so many conservative people. I am aware that the world has already drastically changed from what it had been a century ago, and for the most part, I feel the change has been for the better. However, whenever I enter a conversation on abortion, I seem to encounter a vast majority of pro-life people who claim that abortion is definitely wrong, and should not be allowed for women; surprisingly, these are also women who are arguing this. I already know that part of it has to do with religion - a lot of people believe in God, and feel it is wrong to destroy something He has created. Other people say that it's wrong to ruin a life, regardless of religion. I feel I am one of the few people in this world who is actually pro-choice.

First of all, I do want to mention that I do not believe that abortion should be taken lightly. I feel that it should really only be used by rape victims or those who do not have the proper means to take care of a child, and not in the place of a contraceptive. Although there really is no way to ensure that all the women receiving abortions are in such a situation, the financial burden is definitely not something that many people can afford easily. The cost of a box of condoms or female birth control seems hardly anything compared to the price an abortion can cost.

I agree that the abortion should take place within the first trimester of pregnancy. During these stages, there is barely a fetus, and in my opinion, although a fetus is a living thing, it doesn't constitute as a complete being since it is not developed enough to have feelings, a gender, or live independently. Once the first trimester has passed, however, it is arguable that the baby can start to feel things and recognize voices, so a great amount of development has occurred, arguably making it more of a human than a, for lack of a better term, "thing."