# Positive abortion news and experiences **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709 "2019-09-04T22:22:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/1 "2019-09-04T22:22:36Z")
We see a lot of negative news about abortion, but abortion (or legal access to it) has changed many people’s lives for the better. And, though abortion has been restricted and rolled back in many places, small victories are being won that can also change people’s lives for the better. This thread is specifically to discuss how abortion has improved someone’s life, or how it has become more widely accepted or protected. That’s what positive abortion news means. If you’re anti-abortion and learn of greater restrictions or consequences for abortion, that isn’t positive abortion news. I also request we don’t have any (extremely unlikely) sick stuff like positive feelings while undergoing the procedure, or imagining someone else undergoing the procedure, or imagining the death of an imagined child. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/2 "2019-09-04T22:26:39Z")
I will start. Years ago I had a fling with someone. We weren’t diligent enough with contraception, and she got pregnant. I didn’t want to be a father but I volunteered to get married anyway just to give her a full set of options. She decided to have an abortion and I supported her totally. She was 19, I was 24. We were stunningly incompatible and would have made horrible parents together. We both went on to have thriving families. I’m glad that legal access to abortion saved everyone concerned from a horrible future. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/3 "2019-09-04T22:33:30Z")
Abortion in general reduces crime because the children most likely to be aborted are generally on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder and more likely to grow up in dysfunctional homes. > **[Legalized abortion and crime effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalized_abortion_and_crime_effect)** > > The effect of legalized abortion on crime (also the Donohue–Levitt hypothesis) is a controversial hypothesis about the reduction in crime in the decades following the legalization of abortion. Proponents argue that the availability of abortion resulted in fewer births of children at the highest risk of committing crime. The earliest research suggesting such an effect was a 1966 study in Sweden. In 2001, Steven Levitt of the University of Chicago and John Donohue of Yale University argued, citing... So not an individual abortion story, but a general societal benefit of protecting women’s rights to make their own decisions. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/4 "2019-09-05T11:15:58Z")
This is a parody of the Positive Gun News thread, right? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/5 "2019-09-05T14:17:21Z")
The case that made me pro-choice (and this happen before marital abuse and rape were illegal, yet abortion was): A friend was married to an extremely abusive man. When she got up the nerve to leave him and fund her own place, he broke into her apartment, beat the crap out of her, and then raped her. She got pregnant. If she had had the child, she would have been tied to that monster for her child’s life. He would have been the legal father, and what a shit of a parent he would have been. She had an illegal abortion, got a divorce and got married to a great guy, and had three more children. Three people who definitely would not have been born had she not had the abortion. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/6 "2019-09-05T15:58:12Z")
Possible good news: [A judge has blocked Missouri’s restrictive abortion law,](https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2019-08-27/judge-blocks-missouris-restrictive-abortion-law) which would have banned all abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/7 "2019-09-05T16:36:28Z")
To whom should we submit our “Positive abortion news” links to get them approved before posting? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/8 "2019-09-05T16:39:05Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > To whom should we submit our “Positive abortion news” links to get them approved before posting? Is there something the OP doesn’t make clear? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/9 "2019-09-05T18:23:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is there something the OP doesn’t make clear? Well, I’d like to make sure to avoid any warnings if my idea of “how abortion has improved someone’s life” is different than the OP’s. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/10 "2019-09-05T18:33:57Z")
Is the underlying purpose of this thread to support Pro Choice? If so, I can only say for the umpteenth time that the Pro Choice stance has nothing to do with abortion. It’s all about a woman’s right to control her own reproductive process by doing whatever it is SHE thinks is best for HER. Abortion is only one of the choices available to a woman. So, whether or not one can “prove” abortion is somehow beneficial is irrelevant because it doesn’t matter. What matters is a woman’s right to control her own body. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/11 "2019-09-05T18:54:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This is a parody of the Positive Gun News thread, right? Other threads are off-topic for this thread, so I’d ask that we stay on-topic. I will say that I wouldn’t have started off a parody thread by sharing an uncomfortable personal anecdote. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/12 "2019-09-05T19:02:48Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, I’d like to make sure to avoid any warnings if my idea of “how abortion has improved someone’s life” is different than the OP’s. I would favor a broad and loose interpretation on what “positive” means. “Positive” is very individual in a context like this. But if you expect that your contributions are likely to live on the edge of jerkishness or otherwise work the refs, you always have the option of not posting. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/13 "2019-09-05T19:13:28Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Is the underlying purpose of this thread to support Pro Choice? If so, I can only say for the umpteenth time that the Pro Choice stance has nothing to do with abortion. It’s all about a woman’s right to control her own reproductive process by doing whatever it is SHE thinks is best for HER. Abortion is only one of the choices available to a woman. So, whether or not one can “prove” abortion is somehow beneficial is irrelevant because it doesn’t matter. What matters is a woman’s right to control her own body. This thread is about the positive benefits of women having the right to choose to have a safe, legal abortion at any time for whatever reasons she sees fit. If you don’t believe this is related to pro-choice, I would prefer you start a different thread about your own specific ideas rather than cluttering this one with semantic debates. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/14 "2019-09-05T19:13:54Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Other threads are off-topic for this thread, so I’d ask that we stay on-topic. > > I will say that I wouldn’t have started off a parody thread by sharing an uncomfortable personal anecdote. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/15 "2019-09-06T02:15:58Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > This thread is about the positive benefits of women having the right to choose to have a safe, legal abortion at any time for whatever reasons she sees fit. Does that mean that only positive benefits to women can be discussed? What about positive benefits to men? Is that allowed? ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/16 "2019-09-06T02:49:19Z")
Here’s an idea. If you legitimately have a question that you think belongs in this thread _but you’re not sure_, then you can post it with the preface, “I’m not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but …” Alternately, if you don’t actually have such a question … and I suspect you don’t … you should just stand in front of your bathroom mirror and repeat to yourself “Not every conversation needs my input” over and over again a hundred times. And then go do something else. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/17 "2019-09-06T03:06:53Z")
> [@neofishboy](#): > > Here’s an idea. If you legitimately have a question that you think belongs in this thread _but you’re not sure_, then you can post it with the preface, “I’m not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but …” Sure, no problem. I’m not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but can we post things where a man benefited from an abortion, or are only the benefits to women allowed in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/18 "2019-09-06T04:10:42Z")
**Moderator Action** > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > We see a lot of negative news about abortion, but abortion (or legal access to it) has changed many people’s lives for the better. And, though abortion has been restricted and rolled back in many places, small victories are being won that can also change people’s lives for the better. > > This thread is specifically to discuss how abortion has improved someone’s life, or how it has become more widely accepted or protected. That’s what positive abortion news means. If you’re anti-abortion and learn of greater restrictions or consequences for abortion, that isn’t positive abortion news. I also request we don’t have any (extremely unlikely) sick stuff like positive feelings while undergoing the procedure, or imagining someone else undergoing the procedure, or imagining the death of an imagined child. I think this is intentionally trolling to try to make a point, so here is an official warning for trolling. This is closed. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/19 "2019-09-06T16:56:49Z")
**Moderator Note** While this thread may not have been started with honest intentions, it is a valid topic. It is therefore re-opened. Note that this thread is from a pro-choice perspective. “Positive” comments from a pro-life perspective will not be tolerated. That said, opinions about whether something is or is not positive are permitted, just don’t threadshit. ETA: After an explanation from **HMS Irruncible** and further consideration, the warning has also been reversed. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709/20 "2019-09-06T16:57:40Z")
**Moderator Action** > [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure, no problem. > > I’m not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but can we post things where a man benefited from an abortion, or are only the benefits to women allowed in this thread? **manson1972** , since you clearly intend to keep subverting the intent of threads, you are topic banned from this thread. You may not post in this thread at all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-abortion-news-and-experiences/839709.md?page=2)