I'm legitimately torn on this idea. I see it being broken down into two debates.
Should a minor require permission to get an abortion?
Minors don't have all the rights of an adult for a reason. They aren't known for their decision-making skills. I can see (from a completely neutral standpoint on abortion), why a parent might want to be involved in the decision to have a medical procedure done on their child. What if this was for cosmetic surgery? Would you still support a child's "right" to take a bus downtown and get a boob job? What about prescriptions? Should your 13 year old daughter be able to walk into a doctors office and get a presciption for Ritalin or Zoloft? It's her right, isn't it?
Should parents be notified if a minor has an abortion?
Of course. These parents are bound by law to take care of their children. It's absurd that the state would be able to withhold medical records about a person's own child, and then turn around and say they are legally responsible for the medical health of that child. A legal parent should have complete access to any medical records until that child hits 18, including abortions.
A little background on my position on abortion: I'm pro choice. If a woman is pregnant and wants to abort, she should be able to do it so long as she can find a doctor to do the procedure. That should be her right. Coincidentally, that is what the current law (or lack thereof) is in Canada right now. If you have a 9.5 month pregnancy you want to terminate, for any reason, find a doctor and get it done. The state shouldn't be able to govern your body.
I'm making the above arguments from the standpoint of the parent's rights. Like I said earlier, I'm torn on this issue, and I'm open to debate. This post is mostly me playing devil's advocate to flesh out the argument.
Should a minor require permission to get an abortion?
Minors don't have all the rights of an adult for a reason. They aren't known for their decision-making skills. I can see (from a completely neutral standpoint on abortion), why a parent might want to be involved in the decision to have a medical procedure done on their child. What if this was for cosmetic surgery? Would you still support a child's "right" to take a bus downtown and get a boob job? What about prescriptions? Should your 13 year old daughter be able to walk into a doctors office and get a presciption for Ritalin or Zoloft? It's her right, isn't it?
Should parents be notified if a minor has an abortion?
Of course. These parents are bound by law to take care of their children. It's absurd that the state would be able to withhold medical records about a person's own child, and then turn around and say they are legally responsible for the medical health of that child. A legal parent should have complete access to any medical records until that child hits 18, including abortions.
A little background on my position on abortion: I'm pro choice. If a woman is pregnant and wants to abort, she should be able to do it so long as she can find a doctor to do the procedure. That should be her right. Coincidentally, that is what the current law (or lack thereof) is in Canada right now. If you have a 9.5 month pregnancy you want to terminate, for any reason, find a doctor and get it done. The state shouldn't be able to govern your body.
I'm making the above arguments from the standpoint of the parent's rights. Like I said earlier, I'm torn on this issue, and I'm open to debate. This post is mostly me playing devil's advocate to flesh out the argument.
- Meatball
