Letter: I wish...

I wish no one ever needed an abortion. I wish contraception was free, easily accessible, never failed and was willingly used by both parties. I wish every pregnant person wanted to be so, was of the age of consent, and had the physical, psychological and emotional wherewithal to carry a child to term and take care of them once born. I wish everyone had a partner or supportive family to help them through the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child. I wish all pregnant people had a perfect uneventful pregnancy that required nothing other than standard medical care, and that they had the resources to pay for it, whether it was uneventful or otherwise. I wish the child was born into a loving family where they never experienced abuse. I wish that each child had adequate housing, good nutrition, and access to quality education from pre-K to post-secondary so they could afford to raise their own family if desired. I wish all children were born without disabilities, and those that would force pregnant people to carry a child to term (note, I don’t say women, because not all pregnant people have reached the age of majority) would figure out how to help pay for the food, housing, and education of that child, especially if that child has special needs. If you wish for these ideals as well, vote for the candidates that support them.

Mary W. Hood

Richmond