In a recent article in the Atlantic, Jerusalem Demsas asks an important question: “Now that the Supreme Court seems poised to reverse itself on Roe v. Wade, abortion-rights advocates and anti-abortion advocates are both claiming the mantle of popularity. Who’s right?” Spoiler alert: we are. Demsas, who is pro-abortion, takes a while to get there […]
A few notes: (1) SPL doesn’t take a stance on the rape exception and invites bloggers to discuss both sides of the issue. (2) Because I’m talking about rape and pregnancy, I use female pronouns to refer to rape survivors. However, please remember that not all rape survivors are women. (3) I reference Thomson’s Violinist […]
Preface: Many pro-life activists argue that abortion should be illegal even in the case of rape. While SPL does not take a position on the rape exception, we do agree that the rape exception should be discussed with particular sensitivity. Whenever you are discussing topics related to sexual assault, whether in the context of abortion or […]
[Today’s post is the second in a three-part series on “hard cases” by SPL member Clinton Wilcox. For the first post, on fetal disability, click here. And for an argument by an SPL member in favor of the rape exception, click here.] As I have previously shown, abortions because of fetal disability or deformity cannot […]
[Guest Blogger Nathaniel presents a nuanced perspective on the rape exception. Secular Pro-Life takes no formal stance on the rape exception, but encourages discussion on the issue. For more information, see here.] It’s hard to make nuanced arguments in the abortion debate because folks on both sides tend to see a debate primarily as a […]
Today’s post is by Kristine Kruszelnicki. As a pro-lifer who does not support the rape exception, I cringed as I watched Todd Akin’s suicidal interview. Todd Akin should never have publicly raised an argument that he was not able and prepared to back up – especially one as groundless as the claim that “legitimate rape” […]
[Today’s post is by Kristine Kruszelnicki and is the second in a point-counterpoint debate. See the previous post for an argument in defense of the rape exception.] Is abortion justified to ease the suffering of a rape victim? Consider the following scenario: A married woman and her husband make love in hopes of conceiving a […]
[This post is the first in a point-counterpoint debate. See the argument against the rape exception here.] According to Gallup, 59% of self-described pro-lifers believe abortion should be legal in cases of rape. This is a higher percentage than I expected. Anecdotally, it seems most pro-lifers I interact with believe there should be no rape […]