I was 7 years old when I heard my pregnant aunt, Mary, sobbing in the bathroom as she realized the baby she had been praying for her entire life was dead. 

After many doctors’ appointments and blood tests, my aunt was diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS). In simple terms, it meant that the embryo was having difficulty attaching. But even if it did, the blood clots blocked oxygen and nutrients from traveling to the fetus, which would cause the baby to die.

She had false hopes of being a mother four times. Twice when the embryos they inserted didn’t stick and twice when she miscarried.

Eventually, though, after many procedures, false diagnoses and pills, she had her miracle baby, Georgia.

Soon after, she became pregnant with Willa through IVF.

And lastly, for the first time in her life, Mary became pregnant naturally with my youngest cousin, Bennett.

Most people might assume that this would make me against abortions. Instead, I am the complete opposite: I believe abortions are a basic part of women’s rights.

Mary taught me how big a blessing healthcare is, and how lucky we are to live in a time when women have rights over their own bodies.

 Even when she was disappointed about her struggles, she never shamed another woman for getting an abortion. Instead, she gave them the support that they needed because her story wasn’t the same as any woman next to her.

I was 10 years old when I went to church with my grandparents to learn more about God. Instead of preaching the planned sermon, the pastor got off track and started talking about how anyone who gets an abortion will go to hell. 

“What does this have to do with God?” I asked myself. 

I never went back to that church. That was not preaching the Bible, that was preaching a personal agenda — an agenda I wanted nothing to do with.

I am no stranger to God. I attend church every weekend, I do Bible studies with my friends as often as I can and I pray nonstop.

Jesus said not to judge your neighbor, but show them love and kindness. In fact, he even said that all sin is equal in God’s eyes.

But if you’re a Christian, you know that we believe that Jesus is the only person who lived a sinless life. So, I ask you this: if Jesus forgives all sin, why do we believe this one is unforgivable?

In today’s world, with so much hatred, I question how people can still be so blinded. 

“Just wear protection,” or “that’s just a consequence of having sex” are always the go-to arguments for pro-life. 

But did you know that 1 in 5 women have been raped? Of these women, it is estimated that 5% will become pregnant with their rapist’s child. This is over 32,000 unwanted pregnancies every year.

Do you think those women wanted to be raped? Do you think those women hoped and prayed to become pregnant like Mary?

Absolutely not.

Being a woman is already hard enough, but now we have to fight for a basic right? That is straight insanity.

Don’t get me mistaken, abortions aren’t something people look forward to. Women don’t go have sex hoping to get pregnant so they can go visit the abortion clinic.

That’s simply not happening.

Abortions are not only emotionally taxing, but they can also be painful. Not to mention, financially draining. Depending on how far along a woman is, abortions can cost over $1,000, and insurance coverage isn’t even guaranteed.

Have you ever considered that abortion may be the only option? Is it morally right for a woman who knows she will die during childbirth to carry on with the pregnancy? 

And for those of you who say that can’t happen, it can and it has.

Just this February, a pregnant woman in Georgia, Adriana Smith, went brain-dead, and due to Georgia’s strict abortion laws, doctors kept her on life support for four months so she could deliver the baby. The craziest part is that Smith’s family didn’t even consent to it; the state had the decision to keep that woman on life support.

The craziest part is this isn’t the only case, it’s just the most recent. There have been 30 prior incidents with the exact same story recorded, all with the same outcome: a dead body serving as an incubator, and an unhealthy baby.

At the end of the day, I understand that everyone has their own opinions, and I can respect that. But I’d push you to consider how important abortion clinics are to women and their safety. 

Everyone has a choice. If a woman becomes pregnant and wants to keep the baby, I 100% support her. But if a woman knows she doesn’t want to be a mother, or for whatever reason can’t give birth to a baby, I will support her with my whole heart, as well.