I haven’t read all the answers. But I’ll tell you why I wouldn’t be opposed to having an abortion.
I take precautions when it comes to contraception. I’ve been on the Pill for about 15 years, and I’m strongly considering getting an IUD. I’ve been with my partner for almost 10 years, and I’ve always been cautious with my sexual relationships. I’ve never had sex with someone I didn’t know well, and luckily, I’ve never been raped. I’ve been sexually active for 15 years, and I have never had a real pregnancy scare. (There was a little bit of a scare the first time I had sex, but in hindsight, there was never really anything to worry about.)
If I were to get pregnant, it would be because of the fact that the Pill is only 97% effective (or thereabouts). I am not financially or emotionally ready to have a child. I’m a student, and it’ll likely be about 5 years before I’m ready to begin my career. At this point in my life, I’m not opposed to the idea of having children in the future, but I know that I don’t want to have any right now.
Now, I’m not saying that if I were to get pregnant that I would definitely abort. My feelings about the situation may be different were I actually in the situation. But abortion would definitely be one of the options I would consider. Carrying the baby to term and giving it up for adoption would definitely NOT be one of the options I would consider.
I am atheist, and I don’t believe that life begins at conception. I can’t say when it does begin, because nobody can say that with any certainty. But I do believe that, if performed within the first few weeks of pregnancy, abortion isn’t killing a child. It’s destroying a mass of cells which have the potential to become a child.
It’s my body, and no one’s fucking with it but me, and whomever I personally give permission. Ain’t no one ever going to tell me that I need to keep an unwanted mass of cells in my body.