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California has always been a frontier state, one which draws newcomers and emphasizes individual freedoms. It is a state that respects an individual’s right to privacy with an individual’s right to make his or her own choices.
That history will be challenged this year by right-wing extremists who have vigilantly tried to erode a woman’s right to an abortion since 1973. This year they have placed a measure on the November ballot that would require girls aged 17 and younger to notify a parent or alternate family member before having an abortion. Proposition 4 is similar to California ballot measures which failed in 2006 and 2005.
Voters rejected those earlier ballot measures because they were deceptive and failed to protect young women. In concept, Proposition 4 may sound reasonable in requiring pregnant girls to tell their parents before seeking an abortion. Parents rightfully want to be involved in their teenagers’ lives and most would prefer that their daughters tell them if they are pregnant.
In reality, the majority of teens do tell their parents already, but not all teens live in homes where such communication is possible. Some girls may fear being kicked out of their homes. Some may have been sexually assaulted by a relative or neighbor, and would risk further harm if forced to reveal who impregnated them. Even in the best of homes, many teens aren’t comfortable talking about something as sensitive as pregnancy.
A pregnant teen may become desperate and take drastic measures to resolve her situation on her own. Instead of seeking counseling and safe medical care, a teen may opt for an illegal unsafe abortion or seriously contemplate suicide. Under Proposition 4, a pregnant teen could have an abortion without telling her parents, but she would need a judge’s permission. Can you imagine the fear of sharing intimate and possibly traumatic details before a stranger in an imposing courtroom? No teenager should be forced into such an awful situation.
The fallacies of Proposition 4 are well known, and that’s why it is opposed by so many respected organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics; California Medical Association; California School Counselors Association; California Association of Family Physicians; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and California Teachers Association.
Let’s commit ourselves to protecting girls and young women through early communication. By talking with them at a young age about responsible and appropriate sexual behavior, we can foster an atmosphere of trust and respect.
In the interim, we as pro-choice advocates must educate voters about how teens will not be safer under Proposition 4. It’s harmful, it’s misleading, and we owe it to our daughters to defeat it.
