If you’ve been feeling super heavy lately thinking about the topic of reproductive rights in the United States, please know that you are not alone. With the laws changing in multiple states over the past few weeks when it comes to abortion access, it might feel as though you’re up against this massive tidal wave in desperate need of a life jacket.
The thing to remember throughout all of this, though, is that even though you might have a difficult time wrapping your mind around what’s happening right now in terms of women's and birthing people’s rights, your kids are probably somewhat aware as well.
Even if it’s something that they’ve just noticed in the background on the news or social media, they’re likely curious and wondering what exactly is happening and how this could affect their parents, family, and even themselves down the line.
If you want to open a dialogue and talk to them about what’s been happening recently or even in the past when it comes to reproductive rights, there are a few things to remember.
Let’s dig into how to discuss reproductive rights with your child in a straightforward and universal way.
Teaching them about consent from an early age is vital for bodily autonomy.
Do you remember when you were little and growing up during a different time and your mom or dad basically had to coerce you into giving a hug to the distant great aunt or uncle who came to visit every other year? Yeah, there’s not something wrong with you for feeling uncomfortable or uneasy about that.
It really depends on what kind of parenting style or household you want your child to grow up in, but you can definitely start teaching them about the concept of consent very early on and that they don’t owe anyone physical touch if they don't feel good about it.
You’ll find that if you start this in the early years with them with scenarios such as asking if they want help pulling their shirt over their head or if it’s all right that you help them in the bathroom, they’re more likely to grasp the concept of bodily autonomy and what feels safe and respectful to their own person. And all of that translates to later on in life when they’re thinking about sex and reproductive rights.
Explain that sometimes a person gets pregnant and, for whatever reason, might want or need to end the pregnancy.
The subject of abortion can sometimes be a tricky subject for some adults to discuss, so if you’re wondering how to approach the topic with your child or teen, there are some ways to go about it.
Firstly, if you have a child who’s curious and you feel ready to discuss this topic with them, you can simply tell them that sometimes when an individual becomes pregnant, it’s not always the right time or there could even be a medical reason why the pregnancy will not come to fruition. In that case, whether the person doesn’t want to continue the pregnancy or simply cannot due to medical reasons, there is a safe medical procedure that they can receive from a doctor in order to move forward with this very important choice.
If you have a preteen or teenager, you can open up the conversation by allowing them to guide where things go, and you could even ask them what they know about abortion, abortion rights, and access at this time.
And if you ever need any help at all, there are books and literature that you can receive from health care practitioners to help further explain what abortion is and the importance of this type of health care to women and birthing people alike.
You can let them know that some states have legislation in place where an individual no longer has the right to choose.
Now for the super-confusing part to try to explain. With many states now putting into place legislation that makes obtaining an abortion illegal, it may be difficult for children to understand why something like this is actually happening.
As a parent, it can feel important to go back to some of your family’s core values and what you believe to be the right thing: for people to have full control and autonomy over their own bodies, and that, of course, includes whether or not they wish to be pregnant.
Keeping that in mind, you can talk about inequality between the sexes and how due to the ruling of the Supreme Court, these fundamental rights of women and birthing people have been taken away in some states and how that’s just blatantly wrong and never should have happened.
However, you can help them to see the tiny silver lining, which is that they can always come to you with any questions or concerns involving sex, body issues, and abortion. And also how important it is right now to keep fighting and advocating for equality, especially when it comes to reproductive rights and health care, because as a society, we need to do our best to ensure that everyone has access to this health care procedure in the safest environment possible.
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
