What does "pro-woman" really look like?

Planned Parenthood and those who stand with the organization claim to be pro-“choice” and pro-woman.  However, the 6^th video released by the Center for Medical Progress revealed that Planned Parenthood only gives a woman a choice when she agrees to do what Planned Parenthood wants.  When a woman chooses not to give consent to have her aborted baby donated to “research,” Planned Parenthood goes behind her back and extracts what they want anyway.  

That sounds more like pro-force than pro-choice.  So, why do so many women surrender real choices and go to Planned Parenthood?  Maybe they are afraid.

Fearing parenthood is natural.  Raising a child is a big responsibility.  The fear may come from a place of insecurity; the woman is afraid she won’t be able to provide, afraid she won’t be a good mom, afraid her significant other will leave her.  Or perhaps the fear comes from the dangerous situation she is in; she is afraid her abuser will be upset if she has the child, afraid of the threats, afraid to be kicked out or harmed.  Women need help, not abortions.

Why do we allow pride to keep us from seeking help?  Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak.  Asking for help means that you need help and resources beyond your own power.  If a bodybuilder asked for help lifting a car, that doesn’t mean she is weak, that means the weight of the car is too much for her to carry on her own. 

We were created for community.  We need to help shoulder each other’s burdens.  Few burdens are as heavy as parenthood.

Women in crisis pregnancies need support, compassion, encouragement, healing, help, counseling, and resources.  Women need options.  They need real choices, not cop-outs.  They need choices that don’t dehumanize and devalue the Lives of others.  Even in cases of rape and incest:  One case of devaluing and dehumanizing a person should not result in a second offense.

Whatever the circumstance may be, we can ease a woman’s fear by coming alongside her and aiding her instead of adding to the trauma by lying about or minimizing abortion.  Abortion solves nothing; abortion only deprives a woman of motherhood and a child of Life.  Contrary to what many believe, having an abortion does not simplify problems.  Abortion is not a “quick fix.”  Abortion is a traumatizing experience that deeply wounds and scars the woman in the process of killing her child.

There are so many resources available yet undiscovered by the majority of the population.  A crisis pregnancy resource center in Baytown, TX, is one such example.  They have a system set up so pregnant women can attend a parenting class to earn “money” to purchase necessities at the Cookie Jar, which is a donation-based store run by the pregnancy center that supplies diapers, clothes, strollers, and so much more.  Women are encouraged to learn and take responsibility, while also receiving assistance.  Crisis pregnancy centers offer counseling and other such services for free.

There is help for post-abortive mothers as well.  If you have had an abortion, please do not feel alone in your pain.  Healing is waiting for you.  The Healer is waiting for you.  There is counseling available for post-abortive mothers at pregnancy resource centers—crisis centers are not only for the currently pregnant.  As my wise sister (who has experienced an abortion) told me, “Abortion is the death of a woman’s soul, not just her baby’s body… post-abortive counseling without addressing the spiritual is like offering a band aid as a solution to someone in open heart surgery.”  There is help; there are real options.

I know several children who would not be here if their mothers had gone through with their scheduled abortions.  These children are already making the world a better place and the oldest of them is barely ten years old.  All Life matters.  Helping a woman in crisis remember that is the most pro-woman thing we can do.