Undecided?

Ever since I have had the privilege of voting, I have enjoyed the process and take it pretty seriously. But, as someone who works in the wellness industry, I try not to bring up politics on a public level as I want to present myself in a neutral way. I’ve been sitting back and watching the show along with everyone else. I had a couple of conversations this weekend, though, that made me feel like I needed to share my view about the current situation.

I understand the frustration that I am seeing from many of my friends and acquaintances. I didn’t vote for either of the major party candidates in the primary and there seems to be a growing laundry list of issues being exposed on both sides. There is no question in my mind, though, about who I will be voting for. Not all of my friends agree with me. A couple of my friends have very good reasons to vote in opposition to me. I respect them and their opinions. I just feel differently.

About 24 years ago, in my early 20s, I was actively feeding my budding alcohol addiction. I was able to hold it together enough at that time to live what seemed to be a normal life, but there was nothing normal about it. I was living in Philadelphia and hopping from one restaurant job to another. I was lost with no idea where to go. It would be a few more years and a lot of problems before I figured out that I needed to get sober. I found out that I was pregnant and made the decision to have an abortion. This was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life. I had been seeing a young man for a while and knew him well enough to know that he had already had another child and that he wasn’t able to take care of that child. He broke up with me because I was “too crazy” before I even knew that I was pregnant. I felt alone, I felt scared and I knew I couldn’t raise a child or even carry it to term safely.

I went to the local Planned Parenthood. They were professional, clean and supportive. I got all the help I needed at a reasonable price. This process is hard both physically and mentally, even when it is done legally. I trusted that I was in good hands and the procedure went as expected. I am not proud of this piece of my history. I don’t believe that abortion is something to take lightly. I don’t believe that it should be the 1st choice. Of course, I have no idea what my life would be like today if I had carried that child to term. I don’t dwell there anymore. I realize that I was not well. It has taken many years to forgive myself.

This post isn’t so much about me anymore, though. It’s about my daughter. It’s about her right to be able to make decisions about her body. I hope and pray that she never finds herself where I was. I hope that she makes better decisions than I did as a young adult. But I want to protect her rights to be able to do what she needs to do with her body. It is getting harder and harder to obtain an abortion, even in cases of rape. This is not ok. Planned Parenthood is being challenged. Abortion is just a small aspect of what they offer. After my abortion, they provided me with birth control so that I wouldn’t find myself in the same situation. Without insurance, I was able to get regular gynecological care at a price I could afford. Their services are important.

Right now there is a vacant seat on the Supreme Court. Filling that vacancy is one of the 1st things that will be done by the next President of the United States. I am voting so that the seat can be filled with someone who supports Roe v. Wade. We can’t go backwards. If we do, abortions will still be performed but in less than ideal locations with subpar equipment and sanitation. We really can’t let this happen. Our girls could be badly injured or die. Keeping abortion legal is the best way to ensure safety.

One candidate will appoint a judge with my values. The other candidate is a wild card. I don’t know which way he will go. In interviews, though, he has stated that he is against abortion. My decision comes down to this. I’m with her.