Ms. X – A View from a Muslim Woman

Mohammed interviews an anonymous Muslim woman on her view on abortion.

I am a Muslim woman who had an abortion because, I would not make a good parent. I know and believe that God does not give you a burden that you cannot carry. I am neurotic and live in fear of everything. My days are spent drinking medication. As you can see that I have not sat still for one minute.

I am a woman why do I not want children? I am egotistical, and I do not want to spoil my body. This is what family and friends have said. My husband has children from his previous marriage however he is not involved in their lives and he would love to have more children. As dysfunctional as I am, I keep thinking how would he manage if he cannot take care of the children that he already has.

There is a continuous battle with my husband and his ex-wife for child support, when he should fetch the children and all other social matters that single- parenting requires of women. He earns a decent salary to ensure that his children are well taken care of but this does not happen. His ex-wife has to go to court to seek alimony.

He does not lend a hand in the parenting of these children. I have not heard society bring men to court to question their fathering of children that they are unable to support and raise. I would like to end this interview by saying that the democracy that we have, has only benefited men thus far. Reproductive health is still about women’s health and the issue of engendering reproductive health is not on the agenda.