Yes Freidrich,
I have an interest in the subject..... I strongly support a woman's right to choose.

I post comments expressly to offset the ravings of fundamentalist bigots who have convinced themselves that Religious edicts have any relevence.

I respect peoples rights to believe in a religious faith but that right does not extend to forcing their beliefs onto others.I am polite to Mormons , Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah Witness door knockers but hasten to tell them I am not interested.

Rebecca Huntley has shared her decisions with us to give us some insight into abortion for which she deserves credit. She has not committed a crime and she has not sinned. I congratulate her.

Maracas

Your post is to be applauded for your understanding of a very difficult decision that ultimately can only be decided by a woman.

Having been through 2 abortions myself I know how important it is to have a partner who supports you. On both occasions, hormonal surges added to the trauma and emotion such decisions evoke. I know I did the right thing. I have no regrets.

I am disgusted that people who claim to be pro-life place more importance on a foetus than the welfare of an adult human being and their abilities to bring a child to term.

To impose a pregnancy upon an unwilling woman is another form of rape. It is about control. It is not about humanity.

Abortion is legal. And it will remain that way. To reduce the numbers of abortions men as well as women need to take care by way of vasectomies, condoms as well as the chemical array of contraceptives that women have to ingest.

I think fredrich has read the bible closely. My advice to you fredrich is to not have ana abortion if you don't like them.

Thank you Rebecca for your thoughtful article. I myself have become a little tired of the dominance of guilt/shame rhetoric that seems to dominate the public recollection of women's experiences with abortion. And, as you point out, it's hard to share a story like yours without it being mirrored in the experiences of other women: which is something that comes out often only in a highly confidential environment: it takes only a few harsh or ill-considered words from a friend or acquaintance to make anyone who has had to make this difficult choice think twice about sharing their story.

What you have done in adding your personal account to the public dialogue is very brave. Thank you for your candour and openness.

Always an emotional issue, and these posts are testament to that.

Most people how dislike abortion, myself included, have either never shouted "abotion = amoral" (if we had, we would have said "immoral"), or attempted to get a change to the legal status of abortion. A strict reading of the laws which allow abortion when exception circumstances exist - such as inability to support a child, danger to physical and mental wellbeing, and other such conditions - would be appreciated by us... however we have, effectively, abortion on demand. Those who are too loud over abortion should show some meekness, as often they know not the damage they do.

"Ravings of fundamentalist bigots" is what is heard from the other side, to quote a previous post. The intolerance of those who accuse immediately after hearing an anti-abortion position opens up them also to be labelled "bigots". To act as though abortion is "one's right" which should be enshrined is to lack the necessary humility before making a decision regarding life. This radical fringe, which celebrates abortions or denegrates the life of the "parasite" which they see in the womb, they too know not the damage they do.

One recent move by Tony Abbott has impressed me greatly. I remember hearing his first speech as health minister... he stated his opposition to abortion, said he has no power regarding its legality, but wishes to lower the number of abortions without coercion. His recent move to begin maternity payments in pregrancy is a practical step to support pregnant women. I hope he, like many of us who supported or would have supported (had we been alive) the DLP and Santamaria, remember that as a conservative, predominately Catholic party, it supported maternity leave, maternity allowance, and other such women-friendly positions... as well as being the first party to oppose the White Australia policy.

1. Sex education must explains the process of getting pregnant, avoiding pregnancies, but not encourage a permissive sexual ethic as current ones do. Contraception, as already noted, is not perfect, and thus the best protection is abstinance. A thing cannot be "moral-free", as in attempting to do so, it becomes simply amoral.
2. Adoption should be encouraged over abortion, both in class and in general society. The adoption rate has dropped from 10,000 a year about 25 years ago to less than 500 a year. That is the worst bit about abortion in our nation, that the obvious alternative is ignored.

Thus the stigma around adoption must be lifted. Men who abandon women should be condemned. The idea that this is just a "woman's issue" should also be abandoned, men partake equally in the process of creating life, and have an equal right to debate issues of the common good as women. The first response to a woman saying that she is pregnant should always be an affirmation, as it is at that point when many women guage how well supported they shall be.

What I fear the most is the "consumer perspective". It is strange that those on the left who oppose materialism when it comes to material goods, support it when it comes to people. They have pilfered the "social justice" of Christianity whilst ignoring the bits of its social teaching that require some effort.