In the upcoming election, among the many ballot measures that will seriously affect young people, Measure 43 would do so in the most palpably drastic sense. If passed, it will require medical facilities that perform abortions on 15- to 17-year-old girls to complete an official parental notification process 48 hours prior to the procedure.
While we strongly believe that parental involvement in the abortion process for minors is ideal, we must encourage Oregonians to vote no on this piece of legislation for several critical reasons.
Primarily, the measure would reduce girls’ control of their bodies, a restriction we firmly oppose. The passage of this legislation would establish a precedent by which women’s right to abortion could be further diminished.
Under Measure 43, a physician performing an abortion on a 15-to 17-year-old would be required to notify the girl’s parents 48 hours before the procedure. In order for the procedure to go forward, the parent or guardian would have to present valid identification to confirm that they were notified. If they refuse to provide identification the abortion presumably would be denied, meaning that this aspect of the legislation renders it a de facto measure for parental consent.
In a perfect world, girls who have unplanned pregnancies would be able to confide in and rely on their parents for support and guidance through such an emotional and difficult life-changing event.
This, however, is a far from perfect world.
That parents would choose when their daughters are already pregnant and seeking abortions as the time to exercise their parental obligations is an example of good intentions applied too late. Girls who are mature enough to choose to have sex and become pregnant should not be denied the choice to end their pregnancies if they so desire. If parents really want to affect their daughters choices, they should become involved enough in their lives before they end up pregnant.
Athough the measure contains a provision allowing girls to appeal the restriction, it could force unwilling girls to bring into this world children that they do not want or are unable to care for, a serious tragedy in of itself.
The proponents of this legislation are people who are concerned about the safety and well-being of their daughters. These claims are plastered all over their Web sites. Widely, these are good, caring parents who are involved in their daughters’ lives and upbringing. This legislation would ensure their awareness of an abortion procedure performed on their daughters. They would be able to become involved in the support and care of their children in an extraordinarily difficult time in their lives. These advocacy groups are all, however, anti-abortion. If this legislation creates a need for de facto consent in the form of official notification, their daughters are not going to be able to choose whether or not they have an abortion. This measure, disguised as a support mechanism for good parents is a cleverly-designed attempt to limit abortion in general.
Even if this measure will notify good parents who will support their daughters’ decisions, allowing them to counsel and guide them through the ordeal, realistically, there are many, many bad parents out there for whom this legislation would induce the opposite effect. Measure 43 would subject young pregnant girls in at-risk or abusive environments to experience further physical and emotional abuse in their home lives.
Anyone obtaining an abortion needs support to help them deal with the choice, but girls and their parents may hold diametrically opposing opinions regarding the morality of abortion, making a different source of support desireable. Organizations that perform abortions are required to counsel women and offer support mechanisms as part of the procedure. If girls are scared to notify their parents about an abortion, they most likely have good reason and will obtain support and guidance from other sources.
Measure 43 preaches to the choir. It is aimed at good, responsible parents, but its dangerous fallout will inevitably come from the opposite end of the spectrum; the parents who will not respect their daughter’s choice. In a progressive society, inhibiting individuals’ control over their bodies hinders their personal freedom of choice and damages the ideals of our nation and society. We urge voters to defeat Measure 43.