Women’s Health: More Than Just Abortion

The other night I heard of the plans for anew Planned Parenthood center in the Broadmoor area. The district councilwoman was very excited to have the women’s’ health services available to women of all ages and races who need the low cost guidance. But along with this price comes abortion. This new Planned Parenthood center will also be a regionally accessible abortion clinic. And whenever you throw abortion into the mix, you find the fierce opposition.

Leaving abortion out of this for just a moment, let’s look at the other services offered by Planned Parenthood. At the Magazine St. location, they list birth control, HIV testing, STI testing, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, men’s health care, women’s health care and general health care, including caner screenings. That’s a lot of services available to the general public for preventative health and well-being. Now, if we look at some maps of the area showing availability of health clinics, we don’t see too many. So instantly, having a new health clinic is a plus to the area. The services these clinics provide are essential for personas of any age and background and therefore should be available to the community.

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Now we can talk about abortion, since I can see you burning up over it. According to Google, there are three abortion clinics in the metro area, two uptown and one in Metairie, which I used to pass on my way to work so I know it’s in operation. According to NOLA Needs Peace, after the new Planned Parenthood center is built, the number of abortions will increase dramatically for the city and the region. How terrible that would be for a city with a ridiculously high crime rate and at least one functioning abortion clinic. How also terrible that would be for the women determined to have an abortion to have a clean and safe environment to legally do so. Like with so many other things, abortions will happen no matter how hard we try to stop them, so it’d be better to be safe about it. You may disagree, but abortion is legal and you have no right to take away anyone’s right to a medical procedure. One could even go as far as to argue that maybe abortions in high crime cities will lower the crime levels, the poverty levels, the single parent levels, the government assistance dependent levels, the child abuse levels, the homeless levels, and so on, because there aren’t as many children being brought up into these situations. Think Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.”

While the main fight against Planned Parenthood is over abortion, they do offer adoption counseling. While it may be statistically true that very few unwanted pregnancies end with adoption, a number do. The other health clinics also offer adoption counseling. I’m all for going the adoption route, but sometimes it just isn’t an option that you are willing and able to consider, physically and mentally. Personally, I don’t think one person should pressure another to carry full-term than adopt out unless that one person has been in the other’s shoes. Every year there are hundreds of thousands of babies and children that are put up for adoption. Most of these are adopted by family member or step-parents; a smaller portion of adoptions are non-familial adoptions. Imagine if there was a sudden influx of unwanted newborns? Are there really enough families ready, not just willing, to adopt? If you are pro-adoption, are you willing and able to adopt that baby yourself? If you’re not, maybe you should rethink your campaign pressuring unready women.

In the end, the Broadmoor area gets a nice brand new health clinic that also specializes in abortions. If you don’t agree with apportions then don’t get one. But also don’t stand in the way of someone who does. This center will provide services to also prevent and protect pregnancies, which is probably more effective at reducing the number of abortions than preaching abstinence and praying the sex away. You want fewer abortions? Then start at home by teaching your sons and daughters about abstinence along with safe-sex practices for when the devil’s temptation is too strong for their teenage hormones.

Links:
American Adoptions: Domestic vs. International
Did Abortion Legalization Reduce the Number Of Unwanted Children? Evidence from Adoptions
Adoption Statistics
Planned Parenthood Is a Target of 'McCarthyism,' Political Strategist Says
Planned Parenthood chief: Warrior in a Culture War
St. Thomas Community Health Center
Daughters of Charity Services - New Orleans
GNO Community - Map of Primary Care and OB Services
NOLA Needs Peace

Occupation: Homemaker

In this day and age, women are pressed to go out and bring home their own share of the bacon. The household has become a dual income situation. Couples are bringing in more income which betters the finances. However, is it truly better for the family as a whole?

Until the Women’s Rights Movement and through most of the century, there was no taboo against a wife and mother staying home to take care of the house and raise the children. It was expected! Well, if your man’s bringing home the bacon, the least you could do is clean house. I’ve heard the grumbling about the unfairness of this arrangement. After working even a short while in this full time job and seeing my mom the homemaker’s schedule on a normal day, I’d say each job is pretty equal. My mom stayed home and raised us, never going back to work except to take in kids to babysit. Raising and cleaning up after three children is a lot of work.

Speaking of children, how would they react to both parents working? It seems like it would harm the kids, especially young ones, to have only “nighttime” parents. The first few years are integral to a child’s development, which means it’s crucial that either or both of parents are there in the child’s life to mold and teach and bond with the child. In my situation, my older sister and I developed a wonderful relationship with our mother. Of course puberty threw us a detour when mom just wasn’t cool anymore, but overall having my mom here when I needed her was a blessing. Even to this day she’s there to be called upon. In my dad’s defense, he is the more easy-going of the two, so when he got home the reins were loosened.

There are a few alternate options that can go along with being a homemaker. This would of course assume that you can find free time! If you can find time, pick a hobby! There are several to choose from that can benefit your sanity and offer a chance for group and one-on-one projects. Another good option is to return to work once the kids are in a stable school environment, if you think you’re ready for it. No pressure though! Or if you’re not ready to return to the workforce but still want to make a little spending cash, offer to start babysitting other kids. My mom did this for several of our relatives for several years and managed to put that aside for saving (which helped her buy a new car after the storm!).

Now there will always be setbacks with your decision to be a homemaker. Obviously with one parent working, there will be a… well, not a shortage of money but not a surplus of it either. Just plan your budget wisely and it’ll be fine. My family made it! Another problem is an overbearing mother! Just because you stay home all the time doesn’t mean you have to do everything for your kids. It’s very important that your kids learn independence before leaving the nest because that can affect their ability to cope in the wide world. Most importantly, moms, don’t let yourself go! Put on that dash of makeup, borrow a yoga dvd from the library, walk around the block, involve the kids and hubby. There’s no excuse!

So, see, it’s not so bad being a homemaker. There are so many positives to it, mainly being the time you spend with your kids. Just watch out for the problems and you’ll be fine. It’s time to be proud to be a stay-at-home-mom again!