To the Editor,
You may have noticed that young people seem to be maturing physically at younger ages. A few generations ago average age of first menstruation in girls was about 16 years of age, an indicator if sexual maturity; marriage often happened within the next year or so. Just ask grandma.
Today the average age for first menstruation is 12.4 years. There is concern if menses haven’t occurred by 15 years. Early sexual maturity is a problem. Sexual activity or early marriage is not socially acceptable in this society. Minimum marriage ages are set to prevent child marriages in the US. Parental consent is required until age 18. Social maturity and education are prerequisites to parenthood.
Before abortion legalization (1973, Roe v. Wade), thousands of teens and preteens in America died at the end of a coat hanger. Girls and women died regularly from illegal abortions, a dire public health issue. According to the CDC the number of legal abortions in the US peaked in 1981 at 29.3 abortions per 1,000 females of childbearing age. By 2019 the rate was 11.3/1000 females of childbearing age, a reduction of approx. 2/3.
Today, more parents talk to their kids about sexuality. Research-based, comprehensive secular sexual education has been developed; it’s more than biology, assertiveness, refusal and goal setting life skills are vital components. Age-appropriate HIV/AIDS education was mandated; young people needed to know the risks beyond pregnancy that come with sexual behavior.
Abstinence and delay of sexual activity have always been key concepts. Cheap, effective birth control and improved access to women’s health care have become more widely available. Reproductive choice has empowered women, their role in society has evolved in the last fifty years.
Criminalization of abortion will not stop desperate women; it will threaten human life again. Reversing an established fundamental human right is a direct threat to democracy. We will not quietly go back to the 1950’s.
-Carol Nochajski
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Where is the criminalization of an abortion in allowing the states to decide the terms of abortion? The statement that ot will be criminal is false. The 10th amendment allows states to pass laws not passed by the federal government. This gives the state the ability to regulate their citizens. If you don’t like the laws of a state you have the right to move. Too much federal government control is not good it sets up a socialist system. If a woman ants an abortion and her state doesn’t meet her expectations as to meeting her request she can go to a state where it does. She also could have demanded the mman ise a condom. Or ised a contraceptive device. Or given thean a choice about the abortion. It os her body bit it is also hos child.