...had to dash out to take my daughter to work.

I thus used the term "sanctity of choice" to point up the fact that free choice is as much an ideological frame of reference as MTR's putative Christianity and the sanctity of life. As I tried to show, Jennifer Wilson's position seems strongly inflected with the credulous ideologies of humanism and libertarianism, rather than scrupulously interrogated. In a sense, MTR's assumed position is superior (whatever that means) in that she's consciously influenced by a socially-negotiated ideology, whereas JW cleaves to the socially-fractional illusion of free choice.
In a sense the Catholics are right in treating recreational sex as sinful (in that it's a parody of free will), and one should not make or worship graven images of it, since it seems promiscuous sex is not a matter of choice, but of convention.

briar rose,

I have to revisit your comment above: <as a pro choice woman I believe it's an individual woman's right to obtain an abortion, just as she would any other medical procedure, fully informed. I prefer bias towards choice rather than bias towards prohibition.>

Last night I went to a meet the candidates forum for the QLD election and was struck that none of the candidates supported legalising abortion, not even the Labor member whose judgement I respect. It got me thinking and I scratched a little deeper.
There are about 70000 abortions carried out a year in Australia. It varies from state to state but there's no "prohibition" on abortion and it's available to anyone under the age of 24 in Victoria, for any reason.
Making abortion legally available, "like any other medical procedure" is to commodify it, tending also to dismiss ethical considerations and to take the whole issue out of the public sphere. Can you see why I view it as yet another facet of libertarianism?
However upon consideration (and I have teenage girls, know some of their neurotic friends and am versed in the issues that preoccupy them) it seems to me the more important issue is "counselling". I doubt many women treat unwanted pregnancies lightly, and many of them would be feeling extremely confused and fragile. Others would no doubt suffer depression after the fact. The fact that women seeking abortion have to give reasons and be counselled first is for "their" benefit more than the infant's. I doubt any woman is ever obliged to have a baby, except perhaps if it's fully developed. But more importantly, going through the counselling process might help women to be sure they're doing the right thing and they're not going to regret it. Who knows how much some women are nagged and harassed into taking the step, whereas at least as things stand a woman must talk to someone who has her best interests in mind before she takes the fatal step.
Abortion "is" available and I'm pro-choice, but it should be a sober and considered decision.

"I thus used the term "sanctity of choice" to point up the fact that free choice is as much an ideological frame of reference as MTR's putative Christianity and the sanctity of life. As I tried to show, Jennifer Wilson's position seems strongly inflected with the credulous ideologies of humanism and libertarianism, rather than scrupulously interrogated."

My God, what a lot of psycho babble.

This is not simply about choice as in whether you want a car to be red or blue, this is about a decision that will tremendously change a person's life forever, and whether the woman whose body it is can make the decision based on her own morals and situation, or whether the government or church should be allowed to make it for her.

The tactic of the religious right in the USA, is to try and put as many obstacles in the way of anyone wanting a termination, knowing that the longer the decision and anguish is drawn out, the greater the likely hood of the woman backing out. Mandatory delays and counselling
are prime examples.

While I agree that counselling should be available from non religious advisers, this should not be in any way compulsory. Very few of the women who come to the clinics are doing so without having seriously thought about it, and treating them as children that need to rehash their decision is not only obstructive, but demeaning.

Shadow Minister: <Very few of the women who come to the clinics are doing so without having seriously thought about it>
SM, I didn't realise you were a health professional; how do you know this?
Do you have any idea of the mental illness statistics in this country? If we're to believe them it's in the order of 20% at any given time. Pregnancy is generally a time of high vulnerability, the body being awash with hormones, and moods, cravings, emotional highs and lows commonplace. When a pregnancy is unwanted, by either party, it's a safe bet there are also often relationship issues or money problems etc., and that it's even less likely the woman is fit to make such a momentous decision. That's not to say that all pregnant women are non compos mentis, but it seems to me a reasonable precaution, and not too much of an imposition, to ask a few questions, for the mother's and child's sakes; just as we would someone intent on self-euthanasing (assuming it was tolerated, as it will be some day).
"... and treating them as children that need to rehash their decision is not only obstructive, but demeaning".
Women over the age of 35 most commonly seek an abortion, many no doubt having decided they're getting a bit old for it, and would rather enjoy life. I very much doubt these matrons are being pressured to change their minds, but it's both sensible and humane to enquire after their welfare without commiting the cardinal sin of impugning their precious freedom of choice.
As I've suggested with my "psycho babble" above, your fetish for freedom-of-choice is based on the delusion that this freedom has some integrity. In fact your precious individualism is "sub-jective"; your choices are entirely predictable and readily exploited.
That's what I love about libertarians; they're the most credulous of all and the joke's on them : ))

how do I know that Very few of the women who come to the clinics are doing so without having seriously thought about it?

Easy, I know that most women are not child like idiots that need to be protected by paternalistic religious organisations. Most women have the IQ to assess the situation and make the decision for themselves. Voluntary counselling would help the few that needed it.

The figures quoted were that 20% of the population will suffer from mental health issues at some time in their life, which mostly includes depression, not psychosis. I happen to know a couple of women that have had terminations, and for them the decision was simple, and the termination left few regrets, unlike the few cases that suffer regrets and religious organisations try and pretend are the norm.

Wrong on all counts, SM:
"I know that most women are not child like idiots that need to be protected by paternalistic religious organisations".

The screening process is secular, not religious, and the paternalism, by any other name, is the same ambient social context that nurtures and indulges your pseudo-individualism.

"The figures quoted were that 20% of the population will suffer from mental health issues at some time in their life".
Wrong.
The figures quoted indicate that roughly 20% of the population suffers from mental illness "in any given year"; and "mental illness" is based on "clinical definitions", not my own.

"...which mostly includes depression, not psychosis".

Are you saying that as long as the expectant mother isn't actually psychotic she can be deemed fit to make the decision for herself and her potential spouse?
The question's misleading, however, since the mother "does" make the decision, people just show concern for her and ascertain that she's sure.
I also know women who have had abortions and I indicated above that it is no doubt not a hard decision for some women. No one involved in Australia's Health Services would be pressuring mothers to go ahead with unwanted pregnancies, and the pressure from religious groups has nothing to do with public health.