Dear Editor,

I am writing to share my thoughts on why reproductive rights are influencing my vote. I had a friend in college who had to make a hard choice between her education or raising a child.

Some say that many people can do both, but she didn’t have the financial support to do this and didn’t feel ready to become a mother.

These kinds of decisions make life-long impacts on women, especially those of us from rural areas. It is a hard enough choice to make and now the increased difficulty of access adding another layer of expense is not acceptable.

I am beyond my reproductive years, but I stand behind women who are impacted by the reversal of Roe V. Wade. I find this reversal of choice for the women whose body and life is impacted as incomparable – I have seen great strides for women in the workforce, but this is a huge step backward and a barrier for future women that tend to carry the brunt of raising these children, without the support they need.

We are a gender that has been marginalized in so many ways and I see this as a step backwards for the rights of all women. I understand that some have religious beliefs that may lean toward not allowing anyone to have an abortion, but I believe it is each individual’s body and should be each individual’s choice.

I personally was molested by a relative and what if I had become pregnant? I would want someone who was in that same situation to have the ability to make this choice for themselves.

I am voting for Susan Wild this November because she believes that private medical decisions should be between a woman and her doctor. Please support the women in your life by voting for Susan Wild.

Deanna Carten

Jim Thorpe