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May 7, 2012 - This weekend was a tad less productive than I hoped, but I got most of the scripts for the next storyline done, so that's good.
Today's comic touches on two major ideas I'll be dealing with a bit more in depth as the comic progresses.
Firstly, this comic hints at the passing of Jennifer's sister, Theresa. This idea will have major ramifications moving forward and I don't want to give away that many spoilers, so I'll just focus on what we know or rather the information Jennifer reveals. Theresa died due to complications from an unlicensed abortion. Why she sought out this abortion isn't yet specified, but her lack of access to a more professional setting, quite obviously did not deter her from seeking out an abortion, it only made the procedure fatally less safe. Is this an extreme example? Yes. But I strongly believe more restricted access to abortion doesn't decrease the number of abortions it only decreases their safety.
The second idea ties closely with the first. By suggesting potential sacrifices Patience would have to make by having a child, I'm asking how valuable is the life of a woman. I don't believe any woman should sacrifice career or other ambitions to become a mother (even if those ambitions are simply to be a successful accountant). And I also don't believe being a mother isn't hard work. I don't know how easy it is to balance motherhood and a career, but I don't think a woman who becomes pregnant should be forced to try.
In both scenarios I feel restricting access to abortive services and forcing them to become mothers devalues women as people despite claims to equality. Such "equality" is hardly equal when women don't have the freedom to make their own decisions.
This debate has a lot of complexity to it, and if you feel I've overlooked something (for example, I've yet to examine how unrealistic it is to expect every child put up for adoption finds a good home, but I'll eventually attempt to tackle that debate), feel free to post your opinion in the forum.
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