Abortion, Pregnancy Options & Scarleteen

While we're on this topic today, on this day, just a couple reminders about where we stand and what we can help with should you or someone you know become pregnant when it was not wanted or intended.

1. We are a fully pro-choice organization, resolutely supportive of everyone's -- at every age -- right (even when they legally do not currently have that right) to choose to remain pregnant or terminate a pregnancy; to choose to parent, to choose to arrange an adoption, or to choose abortion. We feel that any and all of those choices are potentially best and most positive for a given person who is pregnant, that no one is unilaterally better than the other for all people.

2. We recognize that unintended pregnancy can and does happen to anyone who can become pregnant; that it happens to those who use contraception and those who do not, that it happens to those who choose to engage in sex and those who were not given a choice, that it is not a "punishment" for anything, nor a mark of anyone's character but instead a realistic consequence that often arises from the activities that can create a pregnancy.

3. We are an organization which provides sexuality and sexual health information, education, support and help. It is not our place nor our desire to discuss things like the "need to reduce abortions," or how abortion should be "rare," nor to take a position of it being our place to control other people's bodies or make other people's choices. We also refuse to engage in, enable or support radio silence around pregnancy options or choices that are culturally controversial or politically loaded and pretend that is not having a position or is somehow being neutral.

It is our place and intent to do the best we can to supply the information, education, support and help our readers, users and clients ask us for so they may discover, process and make their own best choices.

4. To that end, we always aim to do our level best to provide the most current and accurate information about all pregnancy choices that we can, to discuss pregnancy options without judgment and in as much depth, and for as much time, as our users want and as we are able, to refer our users directly to healthcare and/or other services for a pregnancy -- including abortion providers -- we know to be sound. That also can and sometimes does include walking our users who want help through the process of abortion funding, seeking out social services if and when they choose to remain pregnant and parent, coaching for conversations about a pregnancy with parents or partners, choosing healthcare providers, dealing with the range of feelings after abortion, another kind of pregnancy loss or birth, supporting users in parenting, making sure a pregnancy service provider isn't a hidden anti-choice organization, the works.

You probably don't need us to tell you that finding accurate information truly respectful of personal autonomy, especially for young people, about pregnancy options that includes abortion, and includes it without apology, hand-wringing or the presentation of abortion as the very last thing anyone would or should do is difficult, even at plenty of sex education sites.

We know, and we find it incredibly frustrating and upsetting, especially when these rights hang so very much in the balance, and this information is so vital to so many people's lives. While we are unhappy with that dearth, we remain glad and dedicated to do what we can to try and compensate for it here.

We also understand that some people elect not to provide this information in order to avoid the harassment that does occur when you do. While we know firsthand that harassment can be troubling at best and scary at worst, we have long been dedicated to accepting that is simply something we have to risk and tolerate to some degree in order to provide and support the information and services so many people need in this regard. We also know some organizations elect not to discuss or support abortion as a choice because of the impact it can have on financial, political or institutional support: again, this is simply something where we don't feel those kinds of compromises can be ethically made. In other words, we know it can and often does cost to provide this information, in this way, and this support, but we strongly feel it is worth that cost, particularly since the alternative costs so many people with such greater need so much more. And one of those costs? Can be what should be one of our most essential human rights.

So, know that should you or anyone you know need this information, we've still got your back, and intend to always have it in this way.

For basic information about abortion on the main site, you can start here or here. You can also go through our articles, advice answers and resources tagged with abortion.

To have a discussion directly with one of us about pregnancy options, including abortion, you can use our message boards here. To get a referral to a sound in-person options counselor, provider of abortion or other pregnancy healthcare, abortion funding options, or legal help with things like judicial bypass, you can ask us via the message boards, our text service or email, anytime, and we will do our best for you as we have with users in the past with those needs.

Comments

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