The Fine Lines of Language

When people begin to talk about abortions, the phrases “Pro Life” and “Anti-Abortion” are often interchanged or even used to describe these opinions. The language that we use can easily turn the idea of a human into an object. Using words such as “fetus,” “tissue,” and even “a clump of cells” all separate that the life developing inside of a mother are now an object and not a human. So, when is a baby no longer considered a life and is now an object?

Many times, in media, a baby is considered a life when talking outside the context of abortion. In our lives when a mother is pregnant, we host a baby shower or a gender reveal, not a “clump of cell identification” or a “fetus spawn shower.” When we refer to pregnant women, we often associate their life with their baby and vice versa. When the baby is inside of her body, it eats, grows, and regulates itself with the help of the womb; all things an object cannot do. Even big new outlets such as the BBC report on new prenatal surgical techniques are showed they refer to the patients as “unborn babies” not “fetuses.”

The concept of “throwaway culture” has a lot to do with this. In short, “throwaway culture” is people will consume and act in a way that is most convenient to them. When in practice, the language that we need will discriminate against those who need help the most. Whether that be born or unborn life. With this kind of language and culture in place, marginalized groups are affected the most because they are often viewed as parasites or defective humans. What makes these lives less valuable than another?

Read the full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/09/opinion/abortion-pro-life.html

One Comment on “The Fine Lines of Language”

  1. A baby in the womb grow! inside
    The baby need food inside the womb
    A baby outside the womb grow ! outside ,
    the baby needs food outside womb !
    So there is no difference if the baby inside the womb or outside
    That is still a little human !n grow in every phrase from infant ,baby ; toddler , preschool , child , teen , adolescent adult / as each month in the womb ?

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