mynamesearn

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about abortion. It’s honestly heartbreaking to know that in some countries, it’s still illegal. Like, why do men get to decide what a woman should do with her own body? How is that fair? The fact that we’re still having this debate in 2025 is exhausting.

I live in Thailand, where abortion is legal now, but that doesn’t mean the conversation is over. A lot of people here still look down on it, and that’s fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But what doesn’t sit right with me is when people use religion, ghosts, or whatever fear tactics they can find to scare women out of making their own decisions.

It’s so sad because, in places where abortion is illegal, women are forced to do it themselves in unsafe ways, and some don’t survive. And all because society decided they were “murdering a cell.”

I don’t know if I’m writing this because I want to raise awareness or if I’m just venting. Maybe both. Sometimes, I see things that just don’t make sense to me, and I need to talk about them. Abortion is one of those things. I grew up seeing how much shame surrounds this topic, and I hate that. Why should a woman feel ashamed for doing what’s best for her? Why do people act like it’s an easy decision when, in reality, it’s one of the hardest choices someone can make?

I think it’s important to talk about this in a way that everyone can understand. No complicated words, no political jargon, just real thoughts from a real person who is tired of seeing women’s choices questioned over and over again. I want people to read this and feel something, whether they agree with me or not. At the very least, I want them to think about why women should have the right to decide for themselves.

At the very least, women should be the ones making laws about their bodies, not some old men who will never experience pregnancy. If we’re talking about women’s rights, we have to look back at people like Olympe de Gouges. In the 1700s, she demanded rights for women when no one else would. She even wrote a declaration to match the one for men. And guess what? She got executed for it. They literally killed her for demanding equality. And here we are, centuries later, still fighting to have control over our own lives.

Women have been fighting for their rights for centuries, and history is full of stories of brave women who refused to be silenced. Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the earliest feminist philosophers, wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, arguing that women deserved the same education and opportunities as men.

In the 20th century, women like Rosa Parks stood up against racial and gender oppression, proving that the fight for equality is not just about one issue, it’s interconnected. The suffragettes, led by figures like Emmeline Pankhurst, fought tirelessly for women’s right to vote, enduring imprisonment and force-feeding just for wanting a say in their own futures.

But the fight didn’t stop there. The history of abortion in the U.S. shows us just how much has been at stake. In the late 1800s, abortion became illegal, and by 1910, it was outlawed in every state. As illegal abortions caused many deaths, the demand for reform grew. By the 1960s, groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL began pushing for change, and by 1973, the landmark Roe v. Wade case legalized abortion across the U.S. The ruling declared that a woman’s right to choose an abortion was protected by the Constitution. But despite all this progress, women still face battles over their bodies.

The truth is, banning abortion doesn’t stop abortions from happening it just makes them dangerous. Women who are desperate to end a pregnancy will find a way, even if it means putting their lives at risk. We’ve seen enough cases of women dying from unsafe procedures, yet some people still think criminalizing abortion is the right move. We’ve made progress, but history shows us that rights are never just handed over, we have to fight for them, and that fight is far from over.

Getting rid of abortion isn’t just about the procedure, it’s forcing women into motherhood, as if that’s our only purpose. Not everyone dreams of being a mom, and that should be okay. Our generation is evolving, and we need to stop normalizing questions like, “When are you getting married?” “Do you have a boyfriend yet?” Like, what if I don’t want a boyfriend? What if I do? Either way, it’s my choice.

Instead of asking these outdated questions, why not ask about me as a person? How am I doing? What’s going on in my life? If that means talking about my loved ones, that’s fine, but let’s normalize conversations that actually value a person’s individuality. Ask about my goals, my passions, what excites me, or what I’m working towards. Not everyone’s life revolves around romance or family planning, and that’s okay. People should be encouraged to talk about themselves in a way that isn’t tied to their relationship status.

We need to move away from the idea that a woman’s value is measured by her ability to settle down or have kids. Some women want that, and that’s great. Some don’t, and that’s great too. Feminism isn’t about forcing one path over another, it’s about allowing each person to decide what’s right for them.

Whether I want to be a stay-at-home mom, build a business, travel the world, or do all three, that should be up to me. My choices shouldn’t be treated as less valid just because they don’t align with someone else’s expectations. It’s time to stop putting people in boxes based on outdated traditions and start having conversations that actually matter.

I don’t get why feminism offends some people so much. It’s literally just wanting the right to decide our own future. Feminism isn’t just for women, it’s for everyone. It’s about fairness, about recognizing that people, regardless of gender, deserve to make choices about their own lives. Men, too, benefit from feminism. It allows them to break free from toxic masculinity, express their emotions, and support women without being seen as weak. Feminism fights for equality, and equality benefits all of us.

And honestly, I hate the idea of women dying just because they wanted to take care of themselves first. Choosing to have an abortion doesn’t make someone a bad person. And no, in Thailand, it doesn’t mean you’ll have bad karma or be haunted by some baby ghost. That makes no sense.

Women deserve better. We deserve respect, choices, and the right to live life on our own terms. It’s time for society to stop shaming women for making decisions about their own bodies and start trusting them to know what’s best for themselves. This isn’t just about abortion, it’s about autonomy, about the fundamental right to control our own lives without interference. It’s about dignity, about being seen as whole, complex individuals with dreams, ambitions, and struggles that extend beyond reproduction.

The fight for abortion rights isn’t just about the right to terminate a pregnancy, it’s about the right to choose your own future. It’s about recognizing that women are full human beings, not just vessels for childbirth. When a woman makes a decision about her body, she is making a decision about her future, her health, and her life.

The world needs to catch up, and the sooner, the better. Because until every woman, in every country, has the right to choose without fear, shame, or danger, the fight isn’t over. We will keep speaking up. We will keep pushing forward. And we won’t stop until women everywhere are free to live life on their own terms.