Hello Trevor,

Things are complex. There are multiple factors, and far be it for me to judge situations another person is in.

Abortion is not something I like, at all. It’s something that is really hard for women. I know a lot of women who needed to get abortions, and none of them wanted too, they all needed too. They were in situations they had limited control over and their choices were abort or suffer horrible consequences. None of them felt good about it or chose to be in that situation.

I think sex based abortions are awful. However, there are people in these situations who don’t have control over society and often the alternative is worse. For example in the Wikipedia article, they also talk at length about female infanticide which also happens in the same cultures because they don’t want girls. Now I’m not a fan of sex-based abortions, but as abortion is always better over infanticide. Infanticide is literally murder of an innocent life that has been born. Also, I was reading, the same cultures often when having a daughter are very abusive and cruel to daughters, because they didn’t want them or suffered cultural, financial, socioeconomic complications due to having a daughter. Often such girls are married out at very young ages, or are abused. That’s also horrific. Ironically these cultures participating are deeply religious cultures, who are very strict about their values and ethics, at least when it comes to rules they impose on girls and women, but clearly not on life, at least regarding women.

I don’t have the ability to change all the cultures and countries and traditions that engage in all of this, I think it’s horrible but there are people in these situations who are just trying to survive, who am I to judge? I live far away with way more options and support, and I don’t live in a culture that will punish me for having a daughter to that degree.

So while I personally think it’s horrible, it’s not my place to say what’s right for another person. I haven’t walked a mile in their shoes.

We’re all just trying to stay afloat in this harsh, chaotic world.