Abortion

Running head: Social Issue: Abortion

Social Issue: Abortion

Professor Mehdi Nazer

Sociology 100

November 30, 2011

Abstract

Abortion has been a Social Issue since the 1970’s, when it was legalized in the U.S. Many may argue that Abortion is the Murder of an unborn child as those who are for abortion may have other reasons for it.

Social Issue: Abortion

The major factors or historical foundation that contribute to making abortion a social issue important for sociological consideration are the none ending fights that go on to make abortion illegal in the States. Everywhere you go you will see protestors with signs protesting to stop killing the unborn children. These factors aren’t only historical they are present and will continue to be a social issue for many years. Abortion has not always been so controversial. In colonial times, midwives and other healers performed abortions with little community opposition and with full approval of the law. Controversy arose about the 1800 when early medical doctors wanted to eliminate the competition they faced from midwives and other traditional health providers, whose income came largely from ending pregnancies.

Abortion has been a social issue since the day abortion was legalized in the United States. Abortion is not some simple issue that will go away overnight. The antiabortion movement defines abortion as a personal tragedy, the “killing of an unborn child”. Therefore, there are two different groups who are for and against abortion; you have the “pro-choice” who support a woman’s right to choose abortion, and people who call themselves “pro-life” who oppose abortion on moral grounds. In this society you will not get a whole group of humans that will agree with one another since this topic is fresh in everyone’s minds. There is a lack of consensus in North America about when conception and childbirth human life becomes an actual person who is entitled to legal rights including the right to...