GUILFORD — It is too bad that Kenneth V. Scipione thought he could mansplain Elayne Clift's view of abortion. His letter contains some serious misunderstanding about women's lives.
One sentence set me back particularly: “Victims of rape or incest have available to them the ability to prevent pregnancy.”
Please tell me, Mr. Scipione, what ability that is.
I am a survivor of incest that started when I was 3. Of course, my body prevented pregnancy then, but what about when I turned 13? Was I supposed to ask my abuser to take me to the doctor to get the pill so he wouldn't get me pregnant?
What happens, Mr. Scipione, when a virgin's date decides to overwhelm her and rape her? What ability does she have to prevent pregnancy other than the morning-after pill, which is not readily available?
Whether or not a fetus under 20 weeks is a person is a matter of belief. I will not argue your religion, and I hope you will not challenge mine, which says a fetus becomes a human being at birth.
I also recall that your religion, Mr. Scipione, condemns birth control (which makes your arguments about safe sex even more disingenuous). In fact, your church refused to offer its congregants the opportunity to become “Secret Santas” to kids impacted by HIV, because the Twin States Network, our organization that served the kids, also distributed condoms to adults.
Finally, how dare you accuse Elayne Clift of having problems with men because she'd rather women make decisions about something only women experience.
Leave reproductive rights decision-making up to women. Men, leave your mansplaining to yourselves.