Do all pro-choice advocates believe that the zygote/embryo/fetus is not a human being?
Most of those who are pro-choice are in debate about when human life begins. Pro-life argue that it begins at the moment of conception thus, a group of cells or not, it is a human life (thus abortion is murder). Pro-choice argue that zygotes or a group of cells are not a human life YET and thus it is not a moral issue. Personally, I’m pro-choice up until the second trimester. Meaning after 12 weeks (and personally, I would say 8-10, really), anything after that time abortion should be illegal (except for medical emergencies, of course). Because really, 12 weeks is more than enough time to figure out if you’re going to have an abortion and after those 12 weeks, it becomes harder and harder to argue that those cells are “just a zygote.” A heart beat develops, the fetus gains its own sex, has movement, etc. etc. So I say its the woman’s choice up to 12 weeks. After that, the baby has a choice too–and I’m willing to bet its life.
I’ve never personally encountered a pro-choice person who thought that a zygote/embryo/fetus was a human being, but they could possibly exist. Quite frankly, I’ve never understood how some pro-lifer’s say that they support abortion in the case of rape or incest . . . if you believe that life truly begins at conception, then the unfortunate cause of the pregnancy is simply that- unfortunate, but not a reason to kill what they deem as an innocent living human being. I really don’t mind pro-life people if they’re consistent in their beliefs, but it’s jarring inconsistencies like that that leave me scratching my head.
