At its core, abortion is oppressive and discriminatory, as it is often used to terminate those deemed “unworthy” of life. For instance, individuals with Down Syndrome are often victims of abortion because of their perceived “quality of life.” The black community is also disproportionately affected by abortion. Let’s explore why:
Down Syndrome & Abortion
Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition in which the baby has an extra chromosome. This extra chromosome results in physical abnormalities, developmental challenges, and some medical problems like congenital heart defects. However, these birth defects do not always limit one’s ability to live a full, independent life. By age 31, 34% of people with Down Syndrome live independently and 57% work paid jobs. Today, people with Down Syndrome has an average life expectancy of 60 years.
However, this does not stop women and couples from aborting babies with Down Syndrome diagnoses. According to the Joint Economic Committee, 60 to 90% of all babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted in the United States. In Iceland, almost 100% of women who receive a fetal Down Syndrome diagnosis go on to abort their babies. These disturbingly high rates of abortion could be attributed to increased prenatal testing and the fear many have about navigating their child’s developmental and medical issues in the future. Regardless, we have normalized eradicating an entire population of people—who would likely go on to lead happy, productive lives—due to fear and convenience.
The Black Population & Abortion
People with Down Syndrome are not the only ones victimized by abortion. Though African Americans only make up 12.1% of the U.S. population (2021), they comprise 42% of all abortions. Why? The abortion industry is rooted in racism.
Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, openly supported eugenics—the act of “improving” the human population through selective breeding. Sanger famously said, “Birth control… is really the greatest and most truly eugenic method, and its adoption as part of the program of Eugenics would immediately give a concrete and realistic power to that science.” Sanger was interested in population control—more specifically, controlling populations of “feeble-minded” people. In one of her many works on eugenics, Sanger wrote, “The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal … we do not want the word to get out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”
Upon establishing Planned Parenthood in 1916, Sanger opened locations in cities with large black populations. As people became more suspicious of Sanger’s motives, she recruited influential black figures, like Martin Luther King Jr., to support her cause and hired black staff members. Decades later when abortion was legalized, Planned Parenthood became the primary abortion provider in the United States.
So, is abortion an essential healthcare procedure empowering women to embrace their bodily autonomy or a discrete method of oppressing and exterminating marginalized groups of people?
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