This is one possible conversation between a mother and her 9-year-old daughter in the future in a Red state that bans abortions.
Daughter: Mama, I don’t feel well.
Mother: Baby, what’s the matter are you sick. (Puts hand on her forehead) You don’t feel hot, where does it hurt?
Daughter: (points to her belly) Around here. (then slowly, with eyes downcast points between her legs) And here. (spoken softly)
Mother: Are you getting your period honey?
Daughter: No Mama, it feels different and I’m not bleeding like I should.
Mother: Has anyone touched you down there?
Daughter: (very softly) He told me I shouldn’t tell you.
Mother: Who told you not to tell me, baby?
Daughter: (even softer) I can’t tell you.
Mother: (in a very supporting tone) Baby, it’s okay you can tell me.
Daughter: (with lip quivering and tears running down her face, even more softly) It was Daddy.
Mother: (shocked look and voice quivering) It was Daddy? Oh baby I’m so sorry I didn’t know. We need to take a test.
(The pregnancy test is taken and it comes back positive.)
Mother: (with sad voice) Baby, do you remember when I told you where babies come from?
Daughter: Yes Mama.
Mother: You’re going to have a baby.
Daughter: (voice distressed and very upset) But it wasn’t my fault Mama! I didn’t want this, I never wanted this! Why?? What can I do? Can I get rid of it? I’m not even in high school! I can’t take care of a baby, and it’s Daddy’s baby, that’s disgusting! He did this to me and I couldn’t say no. (sobs uncontrollably)
Mother: (with sadness) Well you can’t get an abortion in this state and we don’t have the money to go out of state to get one either.
Daughter: (angry) Why not? Who made that choice for me? Don’t I get a choice? It’s my body.
Mother: (almost in tears and very angry) It’s not your choice baby, it’s the state governments, for some reason those men think they know what’s better for women than we do and they think we don’t know what we’re doing. We’ve made excellent choices for over 50 years and suddenly we’re cast back into the dark ages, side alley abortions, and over arching death. Those men don’t care about the living, they care about themselves and power and control. They control you by taking away your ability to choose.
Daughter: (even angrier) That’s not right, in social studies class we learned that the Constitution guarantees me the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This isn’t happiness being forced to birth a baby I don’t want, this isn’t life having to sacrifice my own to raise a child I never wanted, and not being able to make my own decisions about my body, certainly isn’t liberty.
Mother: (angrily) You’re right baby. (gives her a big hug) But we can fight back by voting those men out of office and start making it right again.
Daughter: I can’t vote yet.
Mother: But I can, and I will rally all of my girlfriends and women I know to stand up against these men and give you back your right to choose. I promise.