Mahony on Childbearing

In response to “Make Childbearing a Real Option,” by Cardinal Roger Mahony, Commentary, Jan. 22:

I want to let Cardinal Mahony know that I have absolutely no argument with his desire to create a “kinder, gentler” society where motherhood is a viable alternative for women facing a crisis pregnancy. What the cardinal needs to realize is that creating more choices for women does not mean he can then seek to remove our right to bodily privacy, which he labels a “false notion.”

What is a false notion is the one that says simply because a woman will not be left in dire poverty or with no viable career path if she carries a pregnancy to term, then she must, indeed, carry that pregnancy to term. Cardinal Mahony, neither you, nor the church you represent, nor other religions, nor society at large has the right to tell me that I must accept the changes a child would bring to my life, even if you do everything in your power to ensure that I will not be broke and/or desperate if I have a baby.

Nor do you get to dictate that I be an incubator for another couple because my birth control method failed. What you and your church’s point of view amounts to is that if a woman absolutely does not wish to be pregnant then she should not be in a sexual relationship. Talk about a false notion!

By all means, continue to work to provide alternatives for women, but don’t try to limit my choices or control my body. I won’t let you and neither will the millions of women who can think and decide for themselves.

PATRICIA M. CUOCCO

Whittier