Abortion, Intimacy, and the Duty to Gestate

Introduction

• Mainstream discussions of abortion are unsatisfactory due to the abstraction from the unique circumstances of gestation.
• Traditional theories view individuals as physically separate entities, which fails to address the intertwinement in gestation.
• The legal and moral discourse lacks a thorough exploration of gestation as an intimate connection.

Methodological Concerns

• Abortion debates are often crude and politically intractable.
• Traditional tools of analysis seem inappropriate for the complex nature of gestation.
• Existing theories inadequately capture the interconnection inherent in gestation.

Two Main Positions

• Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice:
  • Pro-life equates abortion with murder.
  • Pro-choice, as in Roe vs. Wade, emphasizes privacy rights.
  • Both sides focus on fetal personhood and often neglect the fact that gestation occurs within a woman's body.

Issues with Current Frameworks

• The debate often neglects bodily autonomy and the physical and emotional intimacy of gestation.
• There is a failure to acknowledge the unique geography of the fetus being in the woman's body.

Intimacy in Gestation

• Gestation is an involuntary physical intimacy.
• The focus is often on medical risks, but the intimacy aspect is largely unaddressed.
• Consent in gestation is crucial; without it, gestation can be harmful.

Legal vs. Moral Perspectives

• Legal discussions often miss the individuality of each gestation case.
• Morality of abortion is often seen as part of the ethics of parenthood.
• Different moral responsibilities arise from different layers of relationship (biological, personal).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Parenthood involves lived personal relationships, not just legal statuses.
• There are distinctions between responsibilities based on biological ties and those based on personal relationships.
• The decision to gestate is deeply personal and varies among individuals.
• The framework of relationship ethics can help navigate the moral complexities of gestation.

Conclusion

• Gestation as an intimacy requires a unique ethical and legal approach.
• The moral duties of gestation should be understood in the context of personal relationships.
• The woman's perspective and experience are central in determining the nature of the gestational relationship.
• Legal and ethical discourse needs to adapt to consider the intimate nature of gestation.