The need for pro-choice legislation is evident. I don’t understand in this day and age why the Bahamas doesn’t allow legal abortion. If you want to see the effects of unwanted and uncared for children, look no further than the bleek crime statistics of this nation. I can hear the demagogues screaming now: “No! Were a Christian nation” or “You could be killing the next Prime Minister” Please give me a break! A woman should have the right to choose if that’s what she wants. It’s just a matter of time. For a Better Bahamas...

The need for pro-choice legislation is evident. I don’t understand in this day and age why the Bahamas doesn’t allow legal abortion. If you want to see the effects of unwanted and uncared for children, look no further than the bleek crime statistics of this nation. I can hear the demagogues screaming now: “No! Were a Christian nation” or “You could be killing the next Prime Minister” Please give me a break! A woman should have the right to choose if that’s what she wants. It’s just a matter of time. For a Better Bahamas...


To my knowledge, the Bahamas is a pro-choice society. The only restriction on this is that you cannot use government funds to perform the abortion unless the child poses so risk to the life of the mother. So, to state it briefly, a woman has all the choice in the world. Just don't expect the government to use public funds to pay for it, when the source of those funds may not agree with your choice.

I for one think it is totally fair.

the only "choice" we have in most of the out islands is as to what brand of vodka goes best with that bottle of phensics ...

I was under the impression that abortion was not legal AT ALL in the Bahamas (unless the mother's life was at risk). I stand to be corrected (because *alas*, even I dont know everything :shhh:)! If this is true, it needs to be changed. Immediately. A woman should have the right to determine whether or not she wants to bring another human being into the world. She should be at liberty to decide whether she wants to pursue a career. At liberty to make a decision whether or not she can financially and emotional support a child. Thats it. As tia said, what we have in the bahamas now (crime-wise), is probably the result of a whole lot of unwanted pregnancies!

I was under the impression that abortion was not legal AT ALL in the Bahamas (unless the mother's life was at risk). I stand to be corrected (because *alas*, even I dont know everything :shhh:)! If this is true, it needs to be changed. Immediately. A woman should have the right to determine whether or not she wants to bring another human being into the world. She should be at liberty to decide whether she wants to pursue a career. At liberty to make a decision whether or not she can financially and emotional support a child. Thats it. As tia said, what we have in the bahamas now (crime-wise), is probably the result of a whole lot of unwanted pregnancies!

She also has the right to exercise some self-control or failing that, birth-control.

She also has the right to exercise some self-control or failing that, birth-control.


well CG, birth control doesnt always work! and while we're on the topic, they should make the morning after pill available too! imagine that! up in super saver buying the pill! :tup:

My only issue with abortion is the rights of the father. He has none. The decision that the woman makes can affect his and her lives, but only she can make the decision. If she decides to have the baby against his wishes, she can still seek child-support. If she decides not to have the baby against his wishes, he simply has no choice. With respect to the father pro-choice equals no-choice.

Apparently, the abortion laws assumes that fathers are valueless.

My only issue with abortion is the rights of the father. He has none. The decision that the woman makes can affect his and her lives, but only she can make the decision. If she decides to have the baby against his wishes, she can still seek child-support. If she decides not to have the baby against his wishes, he simply has no choice. With respect to the father pro-choice equals no-choice.
Apparently, the abortion laws assumes that fathers are valueless.


THIS IS TRUE. but, well, until men are able to demonstrate the opposite, then they get what they deserve. on the same token...a man can say up until the 11th hour, that they want a child, then when its born, they disappear. how do we reconcile a woman's right to decide whether she has a child, with the father's rights?...esp. when time and time again - the men always bugger off!

Well men's rights are neglected, but nature made that decision. Until men can have baby's then they get to decided how their bodies will be treated. Until then, woman should have sole control over her body, we can tell a man not to cheat or sleep around, but in the end it is his decision. Everybody should equal control over their own bodies.

As far as the rights of the fetus are concerned, until a fetus can tell me they want to live or not, sorry but creation made me the one with the ability to make that deceiosn cuz I nuture, I carry it,I feed it, I love it, I bring it here. So I get to choice. Some things are black and white and this is one of those areas for me. I got the hardware and the job and the labor,I get to choose.

May sound ignorant but das the breaks.

THIS IS TRUE. but, well, until men are able to demonstrate the opposite, then they get what they deserve. on the same token...a man can say up until the 11th hour, that they want a child, then when its born, they disappear. how do we reconcile a woman's right to decide whether she has a child, with the father's rights?...esp. when time and time again - the men always bugger off!

Depends on the man!
I have heard of women who give birth, put the baby in the fathers' hands and she buggers off. :bouncy: Not oll ofcourse but then again not all men do a runner!

Thank you, CG.

The assumption is also that women are more responsible than men, and you can see the evidence in Abiskan's response. But the fact that women weigh the option of abortion illustrates their irresponsibility. I'm certainly not flirting with the notion of men exercising some sort of veto over a woman's right to choose, or even an amendment to the woman's right to choose. But if the law gives the woman the flexibility to be as irresponsible with her body yet takes away the man's ability to be responsible or irresponsible -- then we need some form of equity. Not to give men even less responsibility. But I think that women that consider abortion should be legally responsible for notifying the father. At which point the father can decide his involvement. If a man is proven to be a father but he shrugs his responsibility as a father -- he should be registered just as a sexual offender is registered.

I think a few pro-life groups in the US were trying to get similar legislation passed. It would force a woman to seek consent from the father before being allowed an abortion. They did after all create the child together, so they should decide the future of the embryo together as well.

Actually, that's only for married women. And they only require notification of the husband -- who may not be the father. And notification can occur before or after the abortion. Also, its been shut down by the Supreme Court, so its unlikely it'll become law. Because if you it requires notification of the husband then obviously the wife did something the husband did not approve of. The Supreme Court ruled that such a provision basically takes away the right to privacy and puts undue stress on the mother.

I stand corrected. The point still remains the same. Why not pass legislation that would require the father to consent if the pregnancy is going to be aborted? That would put a great deal of power in the hands of the father. If the mother decides to have the child the father is going to be held liable by the courts for child support. So why not give him some control in the matter?

Because the father doesn't have to carry a child for nine months. That's the major issue. I agree that they both are part of the process, but the mother to a greater degree -- giving the father consent rights gives the father control over the woman's body. I'd say have the father pay for an alternative birthing process. Like a surrogate mother or to pay for an artificial gestation. That way the mother can give up her parental rights if she disagrees. And while the father can't experience the physical burden of bearing a child he would experience the financial burden of an alternative.