Do you agree that pregnancy clinics should be able to choose whether or not they give abortion information? Why or why not?
Johnny Hirschauer ‘18: “Yes, it’s a constitutional right that every individual in this country has to follow their conscience and whatever that means for them, particularly when it comes to life and an issue so serious like life. They have the right to disclose which information they feel is appropriate.”
Allie Martin ‘17: “If they’re privately funded, I think that they’re allowed to choose what they do with their own money and that includes what kind of literature they make available to their patients, but if they’re publically funded, I think they need to inform people of public services. If that’s where they’re getting their money, then they need to inform people of the services that are available to them and that doesn’t mean that they just have to show abortion pamphlets or something. You can have an adoption pamphlet right next to an abortion pamphlet. I think too it’s better to give people all of their options and allow them to be autonomous and I think that the most important part for me is that you need to respect people’s autonomy and especially when it concerns their bodies and the way to do that is to make sure that they’re informed of all of their options. So yes, abortion pamphlets should be available and so should adoption pamphlets and parenting pamphlets and all the different options that are available to men and women and everyone.”
Michael Pagano, associate professor of communication: “I think information should always be available to people regardless of whether you are supportive or not supportive of it. I don’t think people can make informed decisions without information and especially in healthcare, I think it’s absolutely critical for people to have information they need to make informed decisions. So whether you’re talking about an abortion clinic giving out information on pregnancy or a pregnancy clinic giving out information on abortions, or Planned Parenthood giving out information on both, I think the more information people have, the better opportunity they have to make an informed decision and empowered decision.”
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