It’s the Disrespect that Sucks

Banning abortion sends the clear message that women, trans men and children in the US do not matter

It is a serious kick in gut when you realize your country thinks you deserve to have fewer rights than a brainless bundle of cells. An absolute punch in the tits.

It is so frustrating to understand the facts and figures behind abortions in the United States — that the VAST majority take place in the first trimester — and know that a massive disinformation campaign is working and to know that your own daughter’s constitutional rights are about to be stripped away from her and there’s not a goddammned thing you can do about it.

It’s maddening to know that Colorado halved their abortion numbers simply by providing free IUDs and knowing that a loud, willfully ignorant minority are keeping the US from implementing policies like that everywhere, when those programs not only curb abortion numbers but save the government millions in welfare and WIC payments.

You can get mad, make signs, take to the streets, vote, encourage others to vote, and donate money you’d rather spend on other things try to hold on your rights and your dignity, but in the end it may not matter because your fellow countryfolk have somehow been fooled into thinking the United States of America engages in legalized infanticide, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Never mind that banning abortion will kill women and trans men with life-threatening second and third trimester pregnancies who may leave existing children without a mom or dad. Never mind that banning abortion — especially while also cutting social safety nets — will lead to more people on the streets, and more babies and children being abused and abandoned.

It is so demoralizing to know your country would rather spend more in the long run by withholding access to abortion, birth control and healthcare in order to go out of its way to punish women for having sex. What fucking century is this? Why do we hate people with uteruses so much here?

Amber Fraley is the author of the new adult genre novel The Bug Diary, a hilarious college coming-of-age tale, as well as the author of the viral essay Gen X Will Not Go Quietly. Become a Medium member for only $5/month to access TONS of great writing and information!