Bodily Autonomy and Pregnancy

There's a radical concept called "bodily autonomy." It's actually, in general, considered a human right.

Bodily autonomy means a person has control over who or what uses their body, for what, and for how long. It's the reason why you can’t be forced to donate blood, tissue, or organs. Even if you are dead. Even if you’d save or improve 20 lives. It’s why someone can’t touch you, have sex with you, or use your body in any way without your continuous consent. Continuous consent, it's your body; you have the right to reject consent when you see fit.

How does this apply to pregnancy?

Quite frankly, a fetus is using someone’s body parts. Therefore, under bodily autonomy, it is there by permission, not by right. It needs a persons continuous consent. If they deny and withdraw their consent, the pregnant person has the right to remove them from that moment (given that moment falls into the legal range of which abortion can happen. Most happen in the first trimester, very early on.) A fetus is equal only in this regard because if I need someone else’s body parts to live, they can also legally deny me their use.

By saying a fetus has a right to someone’s body parts until it’s born, despite the pregnant person’s wishes, you are doing two things.

1. Granting a fetus more rights to other people’s bodies than any born, actually living person.

2. Awarding a pregnant person less rights to their body than a corpse.

You never have to get an abortion. You never have to even support abortion or become pro-choice. But you have NO right to try and take away another person's bodily autonomy. You will never have that right.

Choose whatever option is right for you. Terminating a pregnancy, keeping it, giving the child up for adoption once it is born. Pick what is best for you; retain your bodily autonomy. It is your right.