We're a group of activists in a Western country where most have been brought up with either "Israel = good, Hamas = bad" or "It's a sad, but unsolvable conflict between two equal sides". The media heavily skewed to the Israeli perspective, and our politicians want to condemn protests in support of Palestinians. Therefore, unless you purposefully seek out information on what's going on in Palestine, you won't really encounter information about the occupation, the apartheid or the human rights violations. There are a lot of gaps in people's information and understanding of the situation.
Atm there's a lot of dehumanization, a lot of "Well, what can you do? Hamas keeps attacking Israel, what are they supposed to do?". I think the Israel=Good is deep-rooted in a lot of westerners. I know it was in me.
We've asked ourselves and each other what finally broke through our previous perception, so we could see the inequality and realize that what's happening is not right
One mentioned seeing a journalist in the back of an ambulance being handed a one-year-old that had passed
One mentioned seeing a video of a caring father saying goodbye to his little girl, kissing her eyes before she was wrapped in the materiale they wrap their dead. The father clearly in denial, smiling and wishing for her to wake up.
A big one for me was being told that it's not an equal fight. It's not two equally strong countries. It's one country with a huge military, and another with barely any.
Another was hearing about the human rights violations that's been going on for decades - the fabricated water shortage, the children in Israeli jails.
I believe these are the moments we need to collect and present to those who are still wary on where they stand.
What broke through to you?
I disagree that the difference is the perception of alive
It's possible to both hold on to the inherent value of human life and make space to grieve abortions, AND prioritize the physical and mental wellbeing of the women who (for whatever reason) can't or won't go through a pregnancy, adoption and/or being a parent
Even with the assumption that a fetus is human and alive, it is important to acknowledge how horrific and traumatic it can be to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term
The realities of pregnancy is still quite taboo, so many aren't aware of the medical risks, physical strain, bodily changes and risk of death that can be involved with pregnancy and birth.
Reminder that marginalized people also experience higher maternal and newborn mortality, and childbirth and pregnancy has higher risks if you're for example poor, black or both
It's one thing to choose to go through nine months of bodily changes, an invasive medical precedure like birth, and recovery willingly. It's another to go through it against your will.
Abortion rights very much comes down to the discussion of who's rights, wellbeing and bodily autonomy comes first. The unborn child or the woman and the body carrying the child. As well as who has more right to a future of their choosing.
On top of that, there's the important conversations of the future lives for both the unwanted child and parents, and the socioeconomic issues. Both in terms of the rich always having access to abortions, regardless of laws and general accessibility, so that poor and disenfranchised people overwhelmingly are the ones affected when pregnancies are forced to be carried to term. As well as how our system is set up so many unwanted kids grow up in poverty. And just.. The questions about what qualifies well or badly suited parents, and what kind of life an unwanted child is gonna have.
Reducing abortion rights to the dehumanization of fetuses is missing the crux of the problem. Additionally, that reduction is part of the reason too many men who are careless, bordering on callus, when it comes to safe sex, cause they view the "removal of a bunch of non-alive cells" to be "no big deal", ignorant to the impact both pregnancy, abortion and birth can have on women's body and mind. As well as a potential child, of course, and not having to battle with the moral dilemma if human life and giving side for what could have been
There are people in my life who've had abortions, and people who chose to carry to term. It cannot be overrated how undeniably life-changing a child is - good and bad. It's a massive, life long responsibility, that should not be taken lightly. For people who aren't ready for that... I don't wish that for anyone.
Tl;Dr Even with the presumption that life begins at conception, access to abortion is vital