By Zoé Richardson.

Most everyone would like to think that their beliefs are formed from a well-rounded conscience and come from the heart. However, where we obtain the information that creates those beliefs is equally important.

Contrary to popular belief, our views do not always have to lean “right” or “left”; a just opinion should be made after analyzing the facts available as well as examining contrasting views.

By bringing this up, I am hoping to make a difference on how we approach the topic of abortion. It is a very sensitive subject, but nonetheless important.

First, we must establish what a credible source is and how to debunk other sources. An acronym I have found useful is CRAAP: Currency (date it was published), Relevance (who is the intended audience?), Authority (is the URL .gov, .edu, .org?), Accuracy (is it supported by evidence that can be verified elsewhere?), and Purpose (is its intention to inform/educate or is it to lead on political biases?).

Most of our miscommunications and disagreements simply stem from those who were misinformed from the beginning.

Is abortion a necessary right or an excuse to cover up accidental pregnancies? Some would have you believe the latter. However, due to Roe v. Wade and countless doctors’ medical opinions, this procedure has saved women time and time again. The argument for what requires an abortion to be necessary is where the gray area begins.

It is my personal belief that a woman has a right over her own bodily autonomy and that each woman’s choice is of her own and not to be made strictly by the government.

Conversely, those who label themselves as pro-life claim all fetuses have a right to life; that impregnated women must carry to full-term no matter the circumstances. Despite all the evidence gathered of how overrun and inefficient our adoption/foster system is, even though abortion rates have been on the decline, that abortion is not a common form of contraception, and the trauma that comes from forcing un-wanted pregnancies to be carried out.

At the end of the day, no woman or person is thrilled by the idea of abortion. If we want to help bring such procedures to even lower percentages, we must come together to collectively fight for better sex education, access to contraception, a more effective adoption process, and overall create a better world for lives to prosper.

Already facing the threatening effects of overpopulation, we must change our focus to creating a world for the human population to thrive instead of micromanaging each woman’s body. If the goal is to give every life the chance they deserve, we must protect our women and our Earth first, otherwise there is no future to be had.