Reply #239: I agree

[Tartiflette]

Your distinction is a very good one - a real versus a potential person. It's just that some people obviously consider a bunch of incompletely differentiatied cells equivalent to a human being, a point I personally find ludicrous. I was trying to state what I perceive their point of view to be, and why in their eyes it might be considered valid.

I don't think that we can or should impose any restrictions on a woman's freedom of choice in this regard. And much of this whole argument is about control, as many have pointed out. But it would also be unfair to dismiss it as entirely about control, since there are people who clearly hold the viewpoint above.

I agree entirely with your final two sentences, and again, they're well put. I do think though that in most situations the woman, while making the final decision alone, would probably benefit from having a discussion with the prospective father, as it is likely to have potential implications for the future of their relationship, irrespective of how strong or tenuous that relationship or the choice made.