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I'd imagine a large part of it *is* the way society treats pregnant women.

If schools provided day care (and did not ban seniors from walking across the stage because of a pregnancy), that would not be a reason women abort.

If work places provided child care and lenient maternity leave (and did not fire women for "other" reasons when finding out she's pregnant) then that would not be a reason for women to abort.

However these things cost money, and few companies want to put forth the money to do these things. So who is more selfish, the company wanting to save money? Or the woman who wants to keep her education/job/livelyhood because society makes her pick one or the other?

If being a single mother, a young mother, an unwed mother were not such a social stigma, such a taboo thing... then women would not feel pressure to abort. So who is more selfish? The people who openly ridicule teenage/unwed sex? Or the teenagers/unwed who participate in it?

Unfortunately it is easier to blame the individual than it is to blame a giant mass of faceless people. It is easier to point a finger at a pregnant woman and say "you are selfish for aborting because you want to maintain your livelihood/education/whatever" than it is to point a finger at her work place/society and say "you are selfish for putting her in such a situation that she feels she must choose 'the fetus, or my job/school/reputation/whatever.'"

And, of course, it is easier to just outright ban abortion via a single universal law than it is to make it mandatory that all workplaces, schools, etc provide daycare and that pregnant women are guaranteed equal rights and protection under the law.

I never said I thought any of that stuff was *right* only that that is how the world unfortunately *is*

It shouldn't have to be all about money, but that's how the world works. Does it suck? Yes. Does it mean money would be a factor in my personal choices, perhaps... but I said nothing about whether that is how things ought to be (frankly I don't think they should have to be that way), but that is just how things are.

Frankly I think we're in agreement... society is ******** up.

I think the English Language should be slightly offeneded.

Plus that person made me gag in general.

a little off topic note: School's back in session for me, so I'm going to have to go back to lurking around here at best. Thankfully this is my last semester before I graduate and then maybe I'll be able to come back and have time to read all your great posts. From what little I've been able to catch up on over my break though, you guys seem to be doing really well. I'll try and poke around here when I have time, but you guys have my support even if I can't be around much.

Good luck with that!

It's my last semester too. ^_^>

Thanks lymelady and Cyanna (and good luck on your last semester too).

Is there a point to college orientation, or is it just there to make legs fall off? domokun

my legs thank you.