Why is the abortion debate framed as pro-choice vs pro-life?

[Vyuvarax]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

[Wolfman31]

Women's right to choose vs the rights of the fetus' life which begins at conception.... pro-choice vs pro-life.... it's not the most eloquent framing, but as with most simple reductions, that's what it boils down to

[Total Crica]

Unless a pregnant woman has given you permission to decide if she aborts her body's pregnancy or not, or you are pregnant and willing to allow someone else to decide for you if you abort your body's pregnancy or not, there is no legitimate debate to be had.

[Sunseeker]

I'm pretty sure the "anti-abortion" side is in favor of banning the option, and therefore eliminating the choice of abortion. So yeah, they're anti-choice.

If they were promoting sex education, how to have a healthy relationship and sex live, promoting services for supporting people who were/are unprepared for their children, while not attempting to remove the option of abortion, then yeah, we could argue their side is "anti-abortion" only and not anti-choice. But they are promoting none of those services. They are providing none of that education. They are also actively making it easier for people to have sex young and make more babies by restricting birth control and the ability to get it.

They are the very epitome of "anti-choice" because they are against choices, they are against options.

[Lex Icon]

someone got it into their head that they should decide what another person should do.

[Eliandal]

life which begins at conception....

...and those of us who do not believe this? What do we call it? Similarly...cancer is also life and must be saved!

[cubby]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

Good question. @Wolfman31 got the gist of it very succinctly.

This is also a case of the GOP winning the phrasing war. Both sides are in fact "pro-life" - one prefers to value the life of the woman as a priority and the other prefers to value the life of the zygote/baby.

[Deleted]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

because pro life and pro choice polls better than pro death and pro no choice.

[MonsieuRoberts]

They're just positive spins on "does the baby get to live no matter what" (pro-life) or "does the mother get to decide" (pro-choice).

It's not stated as "Pros and Cons", but as "I am for life no matter what", I am "pro-life" or "I advocate the mother's right to choose", I am "pro-choice".

[FlatBootyJudy]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

Because the right for unborn baby murder doesn't look good on a sign.

[Kathandira]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

Pro-Life is absolutely 100% Anti-Choice. It is exactly how they explain it.

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure the "anti-abortion" side is in favor of banning the option, and therefore eliminating the choice of abortion. So yeah, they're anti-choice.

Yeah, and the pro-choice people really the pro-murder people.
It's almost like reductive nonsense is nonsense.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Because it is a very complex issue that like most important issues labels in and of themselves don't encompasses the variables and nuance of such a fundamental issue. I am against abortion but I am pro choice, by a very thin margin.

Simply because to me based on the science of what I know, and the law the way it is applied, it is better than the alternative, which is dead women, and people punished for whatever life choices they would make.

It is her body and her choice within the parameters already set. I don't have to like it, but I can live with that versus the alternative as I mentioned. I will admit my ultimate hope is that abortion ends because people can make better more informed decisions to never get pregnant and should they, there being a kind of society where a woman and people feel alright that they not only have options but hope for any kind of healthy future.

[Sippycupz]

I'm personally pro-abortion, but I've seen pro-choice vs anti-choice being the preferred nomenclature recently as pro-life is pretty loaded language, although anti-choice is also loaded.

People who are Anti-choice or pro-life will term pro-choice individuals as being pro-abortion which is dishonest. Many people I know are pro-choice but would never even consider having an abortion themselves, they just believe that each individual should have the right to decide for themselves what the best course of action is for their situation. this is why the term pro-life has been renamed anti-choice by the pro-choice crowd as that is really the crux of the debate. Should the individual be allowed to make the choice for themselves, or should the state make the decision for us?

I fall into being pro-abortion as i believe the stigma needs to fade away so people can make decisions that are best for them without shame. Less unwanted children is better for everyone.

[Very Tired]

I find it pretty ironic the republicans who usually preach against the government taking over and the importance of personal freedom believe that they are being hypocrites with this issue.

[Vyuvarax]

Sure, but if you're having a real conversation among friends on the topic, why would you use inaccurate branding to misrepresent the other side? Anti-abortion believes you have choice, but only as much as you have in committing any crime. Pro-abortion advocates don't really believe a fetus is the equivalent of a human life.

I guess what I'm wondering is, whenever I hear someone say "we need an honest dialogue" and then uses this terminology that misrepresents each side, how honest and productive do we have a right to expect that dialogue to be?

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Because the right for unborn baby murder doesn't look good on a sign.

But pro-abortion advocates don't see a fetus as the equivalent of a human life.

[Vyuvarax]

Pro-Life is absolutely 100% Anti-Choice. It is exactly how they explain it.

Only as much as you shouldn't have the choice to commit a crime from their perspective.

[unbound]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

The answer is in your first question. It is a matter of framing. Pro-life sounds much better and sounds more positive than anti-abortion. Pro-choice is somewhat better as most pro-choice are not actually pushing that women have abortions, but simply have the option available (whereas the pro-life groups want the option eliminated, many times with no exceptions)...but, again, sounds better and sounds more positive.

As for the debate itself, it is actually extremely complicated...just like life in general. Defining life as beginning at conception is as naive and stupid as assuming abortion is only ever done for really good reasons.

My primary problem with the pro-life side is that they are typically also the same group of people that wants contraception banned (or at least curtailed) and generally the same group of people that wants to cut government aid to families in need. Their naive definition of life beginning at conception, and their refusal to acknowledge that life is complicated just adds to these concerns, and, in general, I find them to be, on balance, immoral overall when you consider everything they represent.

Pro-choice is not without their problems, but they suffer from less naive views and, on balance, tend to be more moral and intellectually consistent. Just my opinion.

[Sinyc]

Genuine question. Neither side is anti-choice or anti-life, so how are the terms of the discussion framed in this manner? Shouldn't we be discussing pro-abortion against anti-abortion points in a real discussion?

Because feelings/emotions.

[arandomuser]

I think the left should change its opinion on abortion, with the alt-right and right wing in general touting eugenics, youd acftually want a constitutional amendemt demanding that the government cant force or incentivize abortion. there shooting themselves in the foot by being so open about wanting no limits on it, well if trump gets a 2nd terms and we start having genetic based termination forced by the alt-right government you might have a none pro feeling about abortion, and i wish christian conservatives too would stop supporting the alt right if they looked at any of the manifestos theyve written about sterilization or forced abortion. its all gonna happenn you say im crazy but it all happened in 1930 in germany and japan, itl happen here!