It’s absolutely absurd that this topic is still up for discussion today. Abortion rights are women’s rights, period. Women should have the right to decide what to do with their bodies, and the government should not be able to restrict their options.

In 1973, in the landmark court case Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided (with a majority of 7-2) that abortion is a fundamental  and constitutional right with a guarantee of personal privacy that cannot be violated by state governments (granted by the fourteenth amendment). The decision of the Supreme Court is considered the law of the land and therefore cannot be disregarded by state governments, yet it still is. Telling women they cannot exercise their abortion rights is infringing on their personal freedoms.

Religion is often the most common cause pro-life protesters rally around. However, just because one religion condemns abortion, doesn’t necessarily mean it has to become the law of the land. I’m a Hindu, and my religion does not explicitly address abortion, therefore, it should be a viable option for me if necessary. However, my religion does preach the principle of “ahimsa,” or non-violence towards others (including animals) and oneself. It condemns non-vegetarianism, as Hinduism revolves around the principle that God is infinite, and is present in every person, animal, and non-living entity. Therefore, by that logic, vegetarianism should become the law of the land, as it is my personal belief that the murder of an animal is equivalent to the murder of a human.

Unfortunately, acts committed against abortion providers (including doctors, clinic employees, security guards and police officers) have become more common. A total of 7200 violent acts occurred at abortion centers between 1977 and 2015. There were a total of 11 murders committed between 1993 and 2016, and a total of 26 attempted murders during that time period as well. According to prochoiceamerica.org, “abortion providers and patients have been targets of murder, bombings, arson, death threats, kidnapping, assault, harassing phone calls, stalking, and vandalism.” Pro-life protesters are relentless in sending a message that women cannot exercise their constitutional rights without risking the lives of those around them.

At the end of the day, I believe that abortion should be an option open to women- it is a constitutional right and cannot be taken away. After all, how can you expect to trust a woman with a child if you can’t trust her with a choice?