Minnesota State University Moorhead



“SHOULD ABORTION BE LEGAL?”: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE ABORTION DEBATE ON Jennifer KnechtSOC 352, Qualitative MethodsDr. Lee Vigilant6 May 2013AbstractIn the past two years, the number of abortion laws introduced in state legislatures has increased at a fast pace, and abortion is an emotional issue for people on both sides of the debate. A content analysis was conducted on responses to the question "Should Abortion Be Legal?" at the website to see what commonalities exist, if any, between the two groups and between members of the same group. The results showed that anti-abortion commenters used more personal and emotive language in responding to the question, while pro-choice commenters used language that was more distancing and objective. Language usage was more complex on the pro-choice side, with fewer errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Anti-abortion advocates, on the other hand, were more likely to have misspellings, misused or absent punctuation, and less complex language. Both pro- and anti-abortion commenters are highly invested in the issue and finding common ground between the two is unlikely.IntroductionIn the United States, roughly 48% of women will experience an unplanned pregnancy by the time they reach middle age (Ellison, 2003). One in three women will have an abortion by the age of 45, roughly 1.3 million per year, and these numbers have remained nearly unchanged in the four decades since Roe v. Wade was decided by the Supreme Court (Bazelon, 2010) or in the years before legalization (Cates & Rochat, 1976).Abortion has always been an issue of intense debate, but in recent years the debate has moved from the court of public opinion to the legislative chambers. In just the past two years, the number of abortion laws introduced in state legislatures has increased at an exponential pace. In 2011, over 1,100 bills restricting reproductive rights were introduced in state houses across the country, with 135 provisions enacted (Guttmacher, 2012), an increase from 89 provisions enacted in 2010. Over 800 bills were introduced in 2012 and 122 enacted (Guttmacher, 2013).There are four main intentions behind these bills: to challenge Roe v. Wade, to act an as immediate ban on abortion in their state in the event Roe is overturned, to restrict access by limiting both the time frame and the types of care available to women seeking abortion, and to create onerous regulations through the use of Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider (TRAP) laws to effectively close abortion clinics (Guttmacher, 2012; 2013). These provisions and laws are driven by public opinion about the legality and morality of abortion. 514350642620“…nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind. Our purpose is to provide resources for critical thinking and to educate without bias. We do not express opinions on our research projects ("issue websites").”00“…nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind. Our purpose is to provide resources for critical thinking and to educate without bias. We do not express opinions on our research projects ("issue websites").”The issue is an emotional one for people on both sides, and almost no discussion of the topic can be conducted rationally and objectively. is the website of a: The goal of is to present both sides of an issue in a factual and objective manner along with statements from known supporters of each side and then allow readers to have their say. For this analysis, I examined the responses generated by the topic “Should Abortion Be Legal?” ()Reflexivity StatementIt is my belief that all women deserve the right to make the choice that best suits their lives and circumstances and feel that neither government nor strangers should interfere with complex and highly personal medical decisions; these are best left to the woman, her physician, and whatever support network she chooses. As a pro-choice advocate, I have worked with clinics as a volunteer escort, as a donor and fundraiser, and lobbied my Congressional and state legislative representatives.In order to be as objective as possible, my content analysis focused only on key words and phrases used by commenters, their use of language (spelling, punctuation, etc.), and the overall tone of their comments, rather than the specifics. However, my findings cannot be called truly objective as my own thoughts and opinions on the issue will have colored my coding and my interpretations of the results.ObjectiveThe objective of this analysis is to examine the beliefs of those who commented on “Should Abortion Be Legal?” and what themes are present in the rhetoric of the two sides, as well as the commonalities they may share with other members of their group and with those on the other side.EthicsAs a public forum which encourages its readers to express their opinion, there is no expectation of privacy and commenters are aware their words are available to the general public. Therefore there were no ethical issues requiring approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Literature ReviewPrevious research has demonstrated a link between education, socioeconomic status, religion as well as a correlation between these three variables and support for abortion. Pro-choice women were more likely to be highly educated with higher incomes while women in the pro-life movement were likely to have less education and lower incomes (Luker, 1984). However, Peterson (2001) found that higher levels of religiosity and denominational affilation reduced the stronger support for abortion usually associated with higher education levels. Jelen and Wilcox’s review of empirical research (2003) noted a decline in the correlation between education and support for abortion, and found that attitudes toward gender roles were less likely to be an influence among the “non-activist public” (494). This is confirmed by a 2010 Gallup study showing that, while educational attainment remains a predictor for support, there has been a decline in that support (Sand, 2010).Support for gender equality, living in an urban or suburban area, and age were predictors of support for abortion, with college-age respondents more supportive, while religiosity was a less powerful predictor of opposition than attitudes toward sexuality and a belief in the sanctity of life. (Stickler & Danigelis, 2002).Wang (2004) found that while attitudes toward abortion changed over time, attitudes toward traditional gender roles, educational attainment, fundamentalist beliefs, and personal motivation to bear children were important predictors of abortion attitudes.This reflects the change in framing made by anti-abortion forces during the 1980’s (Staggenborg, 1988). Switching their focus from legislative efforts to changing public opinion, the pro-life movement redefined abortion from a women’s issue to one of fetal rights (Staggenborg, 2011). Use of emotionally-charged language and images worked to shock the public and successfully equate abortion with child-murder. Carol Maxwell (1995) found the pro-life movement’s images and rhetoric serve to create an emotional reaction and encourage a sense of anguish in anti-abortion activists who had “[l]ived, observed, and imagined experiences of death” (439) and encouraged them to “personalize the ‘children’ they understood to have been killed and to perceive their deaths as tragic losses” (442). As a result, anti-abortion activists were likely to project their own experiences and to imagine their own suffering was shared by both the women who terminate a pregnancy and their fetuses.MethodologyThis is an unobtrusive content analysis in which I am a complete observer and do not interact with any of the commenters. To begin my analysis, I used Microsoft Excel to create two lists of words and variants commonly used in statements by organizations supporting and opposing legal abortion, as provided on the ProCon website. There was a fair amount of overlap between the two lists, but difference between the two groups was the context in which the words were used (Table 1). I then used the search feature of Microsoft Word to count the number of instances in which a word was used.From this word list, I created the first set of codes with which to analyze the 281 anti-choice comments and 199 pro-choice comments. As my analysis continued, I added codes and refined or combined others as themes began to emerge (Table 2). Although the codes were used to analyze both sets of comments, it became obvious that the themes (Table 3) were reflective of the polarized nature of the debate, showing distinct differences between the two groups. There were three shared commonalities among pro-choice and anti-choice commenters: the use of ALL CAPS for emphasis, the use of the words “baby” or “child,” and a lack of support for “abortion as birth control,” both of which will be discussed later in this paper. The language usage of the comments was also analyzed (Table 4) and showed distinct differences between the two groups.LimitationsThis is a self-selected sample. As with any online discussion, the comments are made by hard-core supporters of one side or the other, who are highly invested in the issue and feel passionate enough to take the time and energy to make a comment. While there were 480 comments in total, in most cases it is impossible to tell if commenters with the same name, such as the generic “Anonymous,” are in fact one person. Therefore, the total number of comments is not reflective of the total number of commenters.FindingsEmotion and objectivityThose against abortion tend to use more emotive language, such as “feeling” words like “angry,” “disgusting,” “sad,” “murder” and “kill” (or “killing”) and almost always referred to a “baby” or “babies.” Anti-choice commenters were more likely to frame their arguments around the idea that, from the moment of conception, the fetus is a fully-human organism equal to a newborn infant. Emotive commenters were also more likely to use large numbers of exclamation points.48577516510Chelsey: “It is disgusting to think that just because the baby is not born yet, people are trying to justify killing it.”00Chelsey: “It is disgusting to think that just because the baby is not born yet, people are trying to justify killing it.”485775-104775Laurel Rose Miller: "its killing an innocent child that did nothing wrong to anyone or anything."00Laurel Rose Miller: "its killing an innocent child that did nothing wrong to anyone or anything."485775137795Brandy: "It angers me alot. I get sick everytime I hear that women get these abortions!! Make them Illegal!!!!"00Brandy: "It angers me alot. I get sick everytime I hear that women get these abortions!! Make them Illegal!!!!"4857758255Diamond: "Cuz it's murder.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“ 00Diamond: "Cuz it's murder.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“ 48577557785Hank: “…babys deserve more then what parents give them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”00Hank: “…babys deserve more then what parents give them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”The pro-choice commenters were more objective and less emotional in their comments. They rarely used “feeling” words except in instances where they were trying to evoke empathy for women facing the decision to terminate. Their comments indicate that they do not see abortion as an emotional issue, except to the woman involved.48577510160Lola: “It is a decision to be made by the female and anyone they wish to include, not people who will never met the person or the possible child or aid in its upbringing.” 00Lola: “It is a decision to be made by the female and anyone they wish to include, not people who will never met the person or the possible child or aid in its upbringing.” 48577523495Zoe: “You have no idea what they've been through or the situation they are going through. What is she was raped? What is she can't afford a child? Isn't it better for a woman to know she can't have the child instead of risking its life and having it live in poverty?“00Zoe: “You have no idea what they've been through or the situation they are going through. What is she was raped? What is she can't afford a child? Isn't it better for a woman to know she can't have the child instead of risking its life and having it live in poverty?“485775217805Gabriel: “The notion that abortion is equal to murder is false. […] If abortion is a type of murder, then by that train of thought, a miscarriage is a type of manslaughter.“ 00Gabriel: “The notion that abortion is equal to murder is false. […] If abortion is a type of murder, then by that train of thought, a miscarriage is a type of manslaughter.“ Personalization and PrivacyThose who support the pro-life position were much more likely see abortion as an issue which affected them personally and directly, and which should also affect others personally. The question “What if it were you?” or comments expressing the belief that pro-choice supporters would not have the same opinion if they thought their own mothers had or would have considered abortion were used frequently. There were also a number of comments expressing the belief that they had been “spared” from abortion. 5810250Samalia: “If your mom was considering abortion when she found out she was going to have you, what would you want her to do?” 00Samalia: “If your mom was considering abortion when she found out she was going to have you, what would you want her to do?” 581025206375Survivor: "I was supposed to be aborted … so any so called pro choice supporter look into my eyes and tell me its right. 00Survivor: "I was supposed to be aborted … so any so called pro choice supporter look into my eyes and tell me its right. 58102590170Ashley Williams: “What if your mother did that!? You would never see your friends! You wouldn't even exist!” 00Ashley Williams: “What if your mother did that!? You would never see your friends! You wouldn't even exist!” 581025320675the kid you killed: “…if abortion had not been around i wouldve had a 15 year old brother… “00the kid you killed: “…if abortion had not been around i wouldve had a 15 year old brother… “These comments offer a sense that those who oppose abortion do so from a sense of existential insecurity. Consistent with Maxwell’s (1995) findings on grief and mourning in the anti-abortion movement, they identify very strongly with the fetus and their comments indicate that their empathy for the fetus extends to imagining themselves (their current selves) in the same position of “facing death” and imbuing the fetus with all the properties of sentience and awareness that they themselves have. To quote commenter GABY: “it is a person like you and me.” 495300-13335catie: "the baby is alive and even though it's tiny and can't really comprehend what is going on the baby loves you and it's looking forward to being here in this world, so why would you deny this human being the right to live”00catie: "the baby is alive and even though it's tiny and can't really comprehend what is going on the baby loves you and it's looking forward to being here in this world, so why would you deny this human being the right to live”This is consistent with Maxwell’s findings on the effect of anti-abortion rhetoric on activists, creating and encouraging a sense of identification with, and mourning for, not just the unborn but themselves and those they have lost in the past or fear losing in the future.Pro-choice commenters, on the other hand, were more likely to use distancing and objective language and did not see abortion as a personal and direct threat, nor did they see the fetus as a separate and sentient human being. They were more likely to express the belief that abortion is a highly personal and extremely private decision affecting only the individual women involved and should not be subject to government or religious interference.54292570485Tabjazzy64: “To obtain a better future, we each must be free to make profoundly personal decisions about our reproductive lives…”00Tabjazzy64: “To obtain a better future, we each must be free to make profoundly personal decisions about our reproductive lives…”542925272415Blonda: “I believe that as a woman, I should have every right to make my own decisions what happens to my body. Why should tax payers make that decision? They didn't raise me.” 00Blonda: “I believe that as a woman, I should have every right to make my own decisions what happens to my body. Why should tax payers make that decision? They didn't raise me.” 542925269240Sofht27: “I believe that abortion is a human right that should not be limited or regulated by government or religious authority.”00Sofht27: “I believe that abortion is a human right that should not be limited or regulated by government or religious authority.”542925108585Stephanie: “Every woman has a right to make decisions about her body without government interference.” 00Stephanie: “Every woman has a right to make decisions about her body without government interference.” For pro-choice commenters who identified as female (or used typical female names), the only emotional response to the issue was to the potential loss of the right to make their own choices.Irresponsibility and Responsibility5619751343025Doreen: “[…] i just dont understand why people think its okai to kill a baby...and i agree with alot of people ...USE PROTECTION...go on birth control...be smart enough to AVOID making a choice like this […]”00Doreen: “[…] i just dont understand why people think its okai to kill a baby...and i agree with alot of people ...USE PROTECTION...go on birth control...be smart enough to AVOID making a choice like this […]”One of the most interesting findings was the frequent assumption made by anti-abortion commenters that those who seek abortion are irresponsible, having sex without using some form of birth control and seeking to “escape” the consequences. There was also the common belief that women who choose abortion are “selfish” and thinking only of themselves.561975340995Nikki: “I mean if you didnt want a baby, next time use all the precautions that man kind has created for this purpose of preventing fertalation. Condoms AND birthcontrol were invented for a reason , HELL they even created easier birthcontrol from pills and also more pleasuristic condoms.”00Nikki: “I mean if you didnt want a baby, next time use all the precautions that man kind has created for this purpose of preventing fertalation. Condoms AND birthcontrol were invented for a reason , HELL they even created easier birthcontrol from pills and also more pleasuristic condoms.”561975175260Ashlie: “[…] You made the choice to not use birth control or condoms so you're asking to have a baby. People who have abortion are committing a crime to an innocent person. Babies don't ask to be brought into this world so you should take it out of this world because of your poor choices."00Ashlie: “[…] You made the choice to not use birth control or condoms so you're asking to have a baby. People who have abortion are committing a crime to an innocent person. Babies don't ask to be brought into this world so you should take it out of this world because of your poor choices."561975165735 kaitlynn: “[…] you decided to go have sex so take responsibilitys for your actions and come on use precautions condoms and birthcontrol will help and if it doesnt again you caused this too happen everything happens for a reason00 kaitlynn: “[…] you decided to go have sex so take responsibilitys for your actions and come on use precautions condoms and birthcontrol will help and if it doesnt again you caused this too happen everything happens for a reason56197593345Alejandra: The majority of reasons why women get abortions are selfish. They include: [edited for space—jk] not being financially able, wanting to avoid shame at being pregnant, too many children to handle another one, too young, will ruin education and career, etc. These reasons are only thinking about the woman.00Alejandra: The majority of reasons why women get abortions are selfish. They include: [edited for space—jk] not being financially able, wanting to avoid shame at being pregnant, too many children to handle another one, too young, will ruin education and career, etc. These reasons are only thinking about the woman.It was also common for commenters to suggest that consent to sex equals consent to bear a child, therefore women should not engage in sexual activities unless they expect and are willing to become pregnant.5619750123: “[…] If you didnt want the baby in the first place, why did you even have sex, if you knew the outcomes."00123: “[…] If you didnt want the baby in the first place, why did you even have sex, if you knew the outcomes."561975230505A.J.: “Sex is a choice. If you do not want the chance at a child, don't start the process of having one.”00A.J.: “Sex is a choice. If you do not want the chance at a child, don't start the process of having one.”56197526670Melissa: "if the woman doesnt want the child then why do they have sex? DONT HAVE SEX if you dont want a child"00Melissa: "if the woman doesnt want the child then why do they have sex? DONT HAVE SEX if you dont want a child"561975228600Cameron: "This wouldn't be a problem if you would have just kept your legs closed or used protection"00Cameron: "This wouldn't be a problem if you would have just kept your legs closed or used protection"5619751000125Zoei: "Most of the Con arguments are that people aren't being responsible and they aren't using condoms or birth control so they have to face their consequences. But condoms and birth control are not 100% affective. And in the case that people are raped, they have no choice but to be pregnant. Pregnancy isn't always a choice. And if a woman, young or old, knows they are not responsible enough to deal with pregnancy, let alone a child, they deserve every right to abort.”00Zoei: "Most of the Con arguments are that people aren't being responsible and they aren't using condoms or birth control so they have to face their consequences. But condoms and birth control are not 100% affective. And in the case that people are raped, they have no choice but to be pregnant. Pregnancy isn't always a choice. And if a woman, young or old, knows they are not responsible enough to deal with pregnancy, let alone a child, they deserve every right to abort.”Pro-choice commenters were more likely to argue against the idea of pregnancy being a result of irresponsibility and to point out the contradiction in the argument that “irresponsible” people should become parents. 561975160655anon: “A woman who isn't ready for a baby will not be a good mother. Children deserve mothers who are financially, emotionally and physically stable.00anon: “A woman who isn't ready for a baby will not be a good mother. Children deserve mothers who are financially, emotionally and physically stable. They were also more likely to point out the lack of sex education and the difficulties women face in obtaining birth control that contribute to lower rates of birth control use and higher rates of unintended pregnancy (Ellison, 2003), as well as lack of a strong social safety net for low-income women who carry a pregnancy to term, regardless of their ability to provide for the child that results, and the stigmatization of mothers on welfare.50482562230Greta: We would have fewer abortions if access to birth control and sex education classes talked about birth control. It is interesting how the states which have the largest percentages of people who oppose abortion also oppose anything other than abstinence only education...they also have the highest abortion rates and highest poverty rates.00Greta: We would have fewer abortions if access to birth control and sex education classes talked about birth control. It is interesting how the states which have the largest percentages of people who oppose abortion also oppose anything other than abstinence only education...they also have the highest abortion rates and highest poverty rates.53340019050Samantha: “I thought of an interesting contradiction that I have seen in the public debate. Often, I find that the same groups who oppose a woman's right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy also oppose effective sex education in schools, access to health care for poor women and children, 'entitlements' such as WIC, food stamps, Medicaid, and welfare, and Social Security. These groups also seem to support the death penalty more often than not. In other words, they want all precious babies to be born, however once they are here, they don't want to spend tax payer money on feeding, educating, or providing essential services for the child or her family.”00Samantha: “I thought of an interesting contradiction that I have seen in the public debate. Often, I find that the same groups who oppose a woman's right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy also oppose effective sex education in schools, access to health care for poor women and children, 'entitlements' such as WIC, food stamps, Medicaid, and welfare, and Social Security. These groups also seem to support the death penalty more often than not. In other words, they want all precious babies to be born, however once they are here, they don't want to spend tax payer money on feeding, educating, or providing essential services for the child or her family.”Priorizing fetus versus prioritizing womenIn my analysis of the comments it became clear that pro-life and pro-choice supporters have two distinctly different views of abortion. For the pro-life side, abortion is an issue in which there are two lives to be considered, but the fetus is most important. On the pro-choice side there is only one life in consideration and that is the life of the woman. 533400996315Christian: "I understand that rape and the mother's life are problems. Morally I still believe you should not do it in these cases.” 00Christian: "I understand that rape and the mother's life are problems. Morally I still believe you should not do it in these cases.” Comments on the anti-choice side show a distinct lack of empathy for women who face the decision to abort. This lack of empathy extended to a surprising lack of support for exceptions in cases of rape.533400-152400Aloneintheworld: “they say mothers die from back alley abortions you deserve your punishment of death if you are trying to abort Gods gift to you.”00Aloneintheworld: “they say mothers die from back alley abortions you deserve your punishment of death if you are trying to abort Gods gift to you.”53340036830anastasia: “if you were raped did you file a police report maybe that would help you calm down before you go make a rash decision…” 00anastasia: “if you were raped did you file a police report maybe that would help you calm down before you go make a rash decision…” 533400276860GABY: “If you were raped then why would you want to ruin someone's life after someone just ruined yours. do't blame your baby for something they didn't do. It's not there fault so why should they be punished? If you think it is too complicated to take care of this baby then put it up for adoption or just leave it in front of a fire station at LEAST.”00GABY: “If you were raped then why would you want to ruin someone's life after someone just ruined yours. do't blame your baby for something they didn't do. It's not there fault so why should they be punished? If you think it is too complicated to take care of this baby then put it up for adoption or just leave it in front of a fire station at LEAST.”Pro-choice commenters, on the other hand, take a holistic view, that is, to look at the whole picture surrounding the reasons women might choose abortion, such as rape and incest, birth control failure, financial or emotional difficulties. They were also more likely to express understanding of the physical and psychological aspects of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term, particularly in cases of rape or where the fetus has serious physical defects. They were also more likely to consider needs of mother and child after it is born.5238759525Greta: “I am for abortion remaining legal because our society fails to provide and protect unwanted children. These children grow up in poverty and are more likely to end up in the penal system.Other genetic conditions not covered, such as Tay-sacs guarantee that the child will die within three years of an excruciating death. There is no cure. To force a child to bear that horror while their family looks on is unconscionable. It isn't just parents avoiding mentally retarded children. […]I am also pro-choice because rape or incest is horrific enough; imagine the psychological trauma of being forced to endure a pregnancy which is a daily physical reminder of that trauma.”00Greta: “I am for abortion remaining legal because our society fails to provide and protect unwanted children. These children grow up in poverty and are more likely to end up in the penal system.Other genetic conditions not covered, such as Tay-sacs guarantee that the child will die within three years of an excruciating death. There is no cure. To force a child to bear that horror while their family looks on is unconscionable. It isn't just parents avoiding mentally retarded children. […]I am also pro-choice because rape or incest is horrific enough; imagine the psychological trauma of being forced to endure a pregnancy which is a daily physical reminder of that trauma.”Pro-choice commenters were also more likely to consider the effects a ban on abortion would have and believed it would not mean abortions would end. Unlike anti-abortion commenter Annie, who said, “Im 100% sure that women would be much careful if abortion didnt exist [sic]" they argued that women who do not wish to be pregnant would risk their health and lives by attempting to self-abort or by seeking out unsafe care and practitioners, as they did in times past.533400-24765Diane: "Making it illegal simply means that middle class and poor women have no access to safe methods, but will do it anyway through illegal and dangerous methods. The wealthy can always find a method (pay a doctor, travel to another country) to get an abortion.00Diane: "Making it illegal simply means that middle class and poor women have no access to safe methods, but will do it anyway through illegal and dangerous methods. The wealthy can always find a method (pay a doctor, travel to another country) to get an abortion.533400175895‘…’: “People will get abortions regardless of wether or not it's legal, and so making it legal and having procedures done by professionals is safer.00‘…’: “People will get abortions regardless of wether or not it's legal, and so making it legal and having procedures done by professionals is safer.53340093980C0D3: “All of you pro-life people aren't thinking of the child AFTER its birth. If the mother didn't want it, but she was FORCED to have it, would you be willing to take care of it?”00C0D3: “All of you pro-life people aren't thinking of the child AFTER its birth. If the mother didn't want it, but she was FORCED to have it, would you be willing to take care of it?”53340088900Katie: "I am pro-choice for the women who are seriously injured or lose their life in "back ally" abortion clinics. Women should be provided the medical care necessary for a safe abortion. Whether right or wrong, legal or illegal, abortion will never cease to exist. That is the reality here. And few choose to accept it. You can either help these women or let them die in underground clinics.”00Katie: "I am pro-choice for the women who are seriously injured or lose their life in "back ally" abortion clinics. Women should be provided the medical care necessary for a safe abortion. Whether right or wrong, legal or illegal, abortion will never cease to exist. That is the reality here. And few choose to accept it. You can either help these women or let them die in underground clinics.”Religious sentimentAs previous research indicates, pro-life advocates are more likely to be religious than pro-choice supporters. From the belief that life begins at conception to the belief that abortion is the murder of a separate living person, the Christian religion plays a large role in the comments of those who oppose abortion.53340013970Anthony P.: "its is not right kill a human being like The Holy Bible says in Exodus 20:13 God Says Thou Shall Not Kill....no its should not be legalized it is not right to kill a human being that is meant to live like us."00Anthony P.: "its is not right kill a human being like The Holy Bible says in Exodus 20:13 God Says Thou Shall Not Kill....no its should not be legalized it is not right to kill a human being that is meant to live like us."53340027305Joseph: "The moment of conception, the God given soul has entered the fetus. To abort the fetus is killing the pure soul which God has given...how sad :("00Joseph: "The moment of conception, the God given soul has entered the fetus. To abort the fetus is killing the pure soul which God has given...how sad :("533400303530alan Mitchell: "The baby is a gift from God and who are we to deny a life? In most cases if there is an unwanted pregnancy it could of been avoided in the first place; contraceptive or even abstinence. In rare and brutal cases, there are other options besides taking innocent lives. Remember, its all part of Gods will!"00alan Mitchell: "The baby is a gift from God and who are we to deny a life? In most cases if there is an unwanted pregnancy it could of been avoided in the first place; contraceptive or even abstinence. In rare and brutal cases, there are other options besides taking innocent lives. Remember, its all part of Gods will!"533400-1905ginny: Just my opinion I believe God knits a child in the womb during conception creating mind body & spirit God has a program to follow weather you like it or not If not Then evil follows evil \Abortion is to unravel Gods creation00ginny: Just my opinion I believe God knits a child in the womb during conception creating mind body & spirit God has a program to follow weather you like it or not If not Then evil follows evil \Abortion is to unravel Gods creationPro-choice advocates, on the other hand, were less likely to use religious sentiment and those who did either stated that abortion was a decision of conscience or used the Bible to bolster their opinion. They were more likely to point out that not everyone shares the same belief systems or to argue that the state should not legislate morality.523875-5715Anonymous: “If one says we are breaking a law of God, are you saying that we must all follow ONE religion's way? Some people do not believe in God. This is a country where all beliefs are welcomed.”00Anonymous: “If one says we are breaking a law of God, are you saying that we must all follow ONE religion's way? Some people do not believe in God. This is a country where all beliefs are welcomed.”5334004445Lois Manning: “Even the Old Testament argues that people don't exist until birth (Job 10:18-19: Why then have you brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! I would have been as though I had not been." Note Job did NOT say, "Why then have you brought me INTO the womb?" Abraham's god clearly teaches that existence begins with birth, NOT conception (which, by the way, was not discovered until after the microscope was invented."00Lois Manning: “Even the Old Testament argues that people don't exist until birth (Job 10:18-19: Why then have you brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! I would have been as though I had not been." Note Job did NOT say, "Why then have you brought me INTO the womb?" Abraham's god clearly teaches that existence begins with birth, NOT conception (which, by the way, was not discovered until after the microscope was invented."523875322580Michael: "i think you should be able to have abotions and if someone says it is not right because they are religious then what about people who have other religions and the people who don't belive in god. Any ways there is a seperation of the church and the state so god doesn't matter there anyways."00Michael: "i think you should be able to have abotions and if someone says it is not right because they are religious then what about people who have other religions and the people who don't belive in god. Any ways there is a seperation of the church and the state so god doesn't matter there anyways."Shaming of women who abortGiven the more religious nature of the pro-life movement, it is not surprising that many comments by those who oppose abortion often vilified women who terminate their pregnancies. Ellison (2003) found that women who chose abortion did so privately for fear of the social stigma of being an unwed mother, and most were afraid of being judged “selfish” because of their decision. This is consistent with Luker’s (1984) finding that pro-life ideology of motherhood as a natural ascribed role stigmatizes women who terminate. 523875-9525Anonymous: "If a person kills a pregnant lady the murderer is charged with 2 counts of murder, so why shouldnt the pregnant mother having the abortion be convicted of murder?00Anonymous: "If a person kills a pregnant lady the murderer is charged with 2 counts of murder, so why shouldnt the pregnant mother having the abortion be convicted of murder?52387532385Christian: “[…] Also, if you have already had an abortion, you should probably find the best way to confess that sin to God. If you are not a Christian, I would still suggest this. It is in the Scriptures that if you fail to warn someone, you are accountable for their sins. Here is your warning. If you do not repent and be baptized into the Christian faith, you will most likely go to Hell when you die. I'm so sorry00Christian: “[…] Also, if you have already had an abortion, you should probably find the best way to confess that sin to God. If you are not a Christian, I would still suggest this. It is in the Scriptures that if you fail to warn someone, you are accountable for their sins. Here is your warning. If you do not repent and be baptized into the Christian faith, you will most likely go to Hell when you die. I'm so sorry523875219075Garantula4: “I believe the only reason EVER to get an abortion is: rape,incest or if the birth will kill the mother. If you killed your baby and it had nothing to do with these reasons you may consider yourself a cold blooded murderer, enjoy living with yourself."00Garantula4: “I believe the only reason EVER to get an abortion is: rape,incest or if the birth will kill the mother. If you killed your baby and it had nothing to do with these reasons you may consider yourself a cold blooded murderer, enjoy living with yourself."523875285750M0Ni: “…people who abort there child are murderers and will go to hell."00M0Ni: “…people who abort there child are murderers and will go to hell."LanguageThe pro-choice supporters were more likely on the whole to use make longer comments, and use complete sentences, proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and use more complex language. Anti-choice advocates, on the other hand, were more likely make shorter comments and to have misspellings, misused or absent punctuation, and use less complex language.Forty-one anti-abortion comments, or 15% percent, were six lines in length or more, 184 (65%) were three lines or less, and 19% were between three and six lines. In contrast, 37% of pro-choice comments (74 of 199) were six lines in length or more, 39% were three lines in length or less, and 24% were between three and six lines in length. I also found that 15% of anti-choice comments were likely to have major errors in language usage and 34% were likely to have minor errors, compared to 2.5% and 14%, respectively, of pro-choice comments. This is consistent with previous research findings on the correlation between lower educational attainment and opposition to abortion. 523875-66675Nikki: "im Con because no one should kill there child. It is there fault if they chose NOT to use protection. Its your responisbility. I mean if you didnt want a baby, next time use all the precautions that man kind has created for this purpose of preventing fertalation. Condoms AND birthcontrol were invented for a reason , HELL they even created easier birthcontrol from pills and also more pleasuristic condoms .00Nikki: "im Con because no one should kill there child. It is there fault if they chose NOT to use protection. Its your responisbility. I mean if you didnt want a baby, next time use all the precautions that man kind has created for this purpose of preventing fertalation. Condoms AND birthcontrol were invented for a reason , HELL they even created easier birthcontrol from pills and also more pleasuristic condoms .523875139700Kaila Justine Zahyn: "Abortion should not be aloud anywhere in the world even 8if the woman that has this baby in her whom. You would be breaking the fifth comandment "You shall not murder". You may think think that your not committing murder4 bu8t you realy are.00Kaila Justine Zahyn: "Abortion should not be aloud anywhere in the world even 8if the woman that has this baby in her whom. You would be breaking the fifth comandment "You shall not murder". You may think think that your not committing murder4 bu8t you realy are.52387547625darby: “its a womans choice to have an abortion. i terminated my pregnancy because i was raped. i didnt want to have this child because it was never ment to be, i wasnt willing to have sex.. i was forced under my consent. i also did not want this child to resemble the man that forced him self in me. all in all abortion should be legal"00darby: “its a womans choice to have an abortion. i terminated my pregnancy because i was raped. i didnt want to have this child because it was never ment to be, i wasnt willing to have sex.. i was forced under my consent. i also did not want this child to resemble the man that forced him self in me. all in all abortion should be legal"52387553340Khamiya: "im for abortion women should be able to choose what they want or not and yes it is terminating something but its done when the baby is still an embryo its murder when it becomes a fetus and people should be able to have options and regardless if there are people waiting to get children that are adopting if the woman doesnt want to carry the child and give it away she dosent have to she should be able to decide and so what she wants"00Khamiya: "im for abortion women should be able to choose what they want or not and yes it is terminating something but its done when the baby is still an embryo its murder when it becomes a fetus and people should be able to have options and regardless if there are people waiting to get children that are adopting if the woman doesnt want to carry the child and give it away she dosent have to she should be able to decide and so what she wants"Use of all-capitals for emphasis was used by many commenters, likely because the Pro- website does not allow other means, such as bold or italics hyper-text markup language (HTML). However, pro-choice commenters used them less frequently and often only to emphasize a single word.46672512065Alejandra: “It grows IN the body but IS NOT an actual part.”00Alejandra: “It grows IN the body but IS NOT an actual part.”4667250Chelsey: That child did absolutly NOTHING wrong, and therefore should NOT be treated as just a peice of tissue.00Chelsey: That child did absolutly NOTHING wrong, and therefore should NOT be treated as just a peice of tissue.466725193040Sonia 555: “All I'm saying is if you want ur baby out you can have it out. GET RELIGION OUT OF MY LIFE AND FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST GET THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY VAGINA!!!!!"00Sonia 555: “All I'm saying is if you want ur baby out you can have it out. GET RELIGION OUT OF MY LIFE AND FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST GET THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY VAGINA!!!!!"4667250Rose: “We as women should be uniting and helping each other; you don't have to agree with our decisions, just be a kindhearted human being and help your fellow woman against the government that debate about OUR bodies.00Rose: “We as women should be uniting and helping each other; you don't have to agree with our decisions, just be a kindhearted human being and help your fellow woman against the government that debate about OUR monalitiesTwo distinct commonalities emerged in the comments. First, while many commenters on the anti-choice side frequently accused the pro-choice side of seeing the fetus as only “a piece of tissue [sic],” both sides used the words “baby” or “child” frequently in their comments. While the rhetoric used by pro-choice organizations uses technical terms or simply elides over the existence of the fetus to focus on the right of women to make decisions for themselves, it is clear that this particular group, if not most pro-choice supporters, recognize the potential that exists in each pregnancy and the complex, individualized nature of abortion. “Sometimes it’s a child and a choice,” to quote the title of Jeannie Ludlow’s paper on the necessity of ending the dichotomy of “woman versus child” of the current debate on abortion.The second was repeated use of the phrase “abortion as birth control” by both sides. Pro-life commenters were more likely to believe most women were choosing abortion as a form of post-sex birth control, which was not unexpected. The number of pro-choice commenters who argued that while they supported abortion, they did not support “abortion as birth control” was surprising. I would argue this is an example of the successful efforts by the pro-life movement to change the way the public views abortion and stigmatize women who terminate, despite the fact that few women use abortion as a birth control measure. According to the National Abortion Federation:“If abortion were used as a primary method of birth control, a typical woman would have at least two or three pregnancies per year - 30 or more during her lifetime. In fact, most women who have abortions have had no previous abortions (52%) or only one previous abortion (26%). Considering that most women are fertile for over 30 years, and that birth control is not perfect, the likelihood of having one or two unintended pregnancies is very high.”ConclusionThe general themes that emerged in this analysis show a marked difference between pro-choice and anti-abortion supporters. Anti-choice advocates are, in general, more emotive and religious, more likely to personalize or identify with the fetus, and less likely to display empathy for women facing the decision to terminate their pregnancies. Pro-choice advocates are, in general, more objective and less religious, more likely to take individual circumstances into account and more likely to believe abortion is a personal and private matter that should not be subject to religious or government intrusions. They also display a greater empathy for women, particularly concern for risks women may take if abortion is criminalized, and greater concern for the long-term futures of children. Consistent with previous findings, commenters who oppose abortion appear to have less education and higher religiosity while those who support the right to choose.As the examples show, the abortion debate is polarized and unlikely to be resolved, regardless of whether or not Roe v. Wade is overturned and abortion is criminalized once again, but future research might be undertaken to discover how personal background leads supporters and opponents to their position on the issue. Table 1. Word ListPro-choiceAnti-abortionfree/freedom sexchoice/choose legalmedical/health welfarerape/raped religioncontrol pro-[choice/abortion/side birth control paineducation Jesus/God/god/Lordunborn Biblepersonal killing/murderfamily anti(s)conception life/live/livedfetus pro life/pro-lifebaby/babieschild/children/kid/kidshuman/human beingmother/father/parentwoman/women/girl/girlssafe/safety/safelyrape/raped sexbaby/babies painunborn choice/choosefamily pro-life/pro lifefetus illegalconception savelife/live/lived welfaredeath/dead religionbirth control Biblewoman/women/girl/girls anti(s)mother/father/parentchild/children/kid/kidshuman/human beingfree/freedomkilling/murder/murderedJesus/God/god/Lordabortionist/abortionistspro-[choice/abortion/side]Table 2. CodesUse of “feeling” words, such as “angry” “sick,” “mad” “hate” “disgusted” “scares”Excessive punctuationBaby/babies“it could have been you” (or variants)Right to life/liveDon’t have sex Use birth controlSelfishUnborn equal to already bornUnborn as separate personNo exception for rapeConsidering woman’s personal circumstances = selfishnessAdoption “Thou shalt not kill”Bible as authorityJesus/God/gods/LordGeneral religious sentimentKilling/murderDeserve death/consequences“Murderer”Focus on late-term abortionsAbortion as birth controlDistancing/impersonal languageLack of “feeling” wordsPersonal choicePrivacyNo religious interferenceNo government interferencePersonal choice/decisionImprove life circumstances/futureDifficulty obtaining birth controlLack of educationAlready born human vs. potential humanExceptions for rape, incest, health/safety of mother Life of povertyRisk of abuse/neglect for unwanted childHealth issues affecting fetus/womanAdoption/birth poses physical/emotional risksReturn to “back-alley abortionsTable 3. ThemesAnti-abortionPro-choiceEmotionPersonalizationIrresponsibility/consequencesPrioritizes fetusReligious sentimentShamingAbortion as birth controlObjectivityFreedomCircumstancesPrioritizes woman/lack of safety net/prevent current & future sufferingHealth/safetyAbortion as birth control Table 4. Language CodesComplex languageSimple languageComplete sentencesIncomplete sentencesShort comment less than 3 linesMedium comment more than 3 lines, less than 5Long comment more than 6 linesMinor misspellings less than two misspellings per linesome lack of appropriate capitalizationMajor misspellings more than two misspellings per linefrequent lack of appropriate capitalizationMinor punctuation errors less than two missing/misused punctuation marks per commentMajor punctuation errors more than four missing/misused punctuation marks per commentlack of punctuationExcessive punctuation more than 4 punctuation marks in a rowGrammatical errors subject/verb tense lack of coherencymisused words (ie: incident instead of accident)incorrect homonym usage (ie: “their” for “there”), incorrect plurals/possessives (ie: “babys” for “babies” or “babies” for “baby’s”)Invented words ie: “pleasuristic”ALL CAPS for emphasisReferencesBazelon, Emily. 2010. “The New Abortion Providers.” The New York Times Magazine, July 14, 2010. Retrieved from: ;, March 21, 2013.Cates, Willard, Jr. and Roger Rochat. 1976. “Illegal Abortions in the United States: 1972-1974.” Family Planning Perspectives, 8(2): 86-92.Ellison, Marcia A. 2003. “Authoritative Knowledge and Single Women’s Unintentional Pregnancies, Abortions, Adoption, and Single Motherhood: Social Stigma and Structural Violence.” Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 17(3): 322-347.Guttmacher Institute. January 5, 2012. “States Enact Record Number of Abortion Restrictions in 2011.” Retrieved from: Institute. January 2, 2013. “2012 Saw Second-Highest Number of Abortion Restrictions Ever.” Retrieved from:, Ted and Clyde Wilcox. 2003. “Causes and Consequencesof Public Attitudes Toward Abortion: A Review and Research Agenda.” Political Research Quarterly, 56(4): 489-500.Ludlow, Jeannie. 2008. “Sometimes, It’s a Child and a Choice: Toward an Embodied Abortion Praxis.” National Women’s Studies Association Journal, 20(2): 26-50.Luker, Kristin. 1984. Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood. Berkeley CA: University of California Press.Maxwell, Carol J.C. 1995. “Coping with Bereavement Through Activism: Real Grief, Imagined Death, and Pseudo-mourning among Pro-Life Direct Activists.” Ethos, 23(4): 437-452.National Abortion Federation. “Abortion Facts.” Retrieved from: [PDF]Petersen. Larry R. 2001. "Religion, Plausibility Structures, and Education's Effect on Attitudes toward Elective Abortion." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 40(2): 187-203.. “Should Abortion Be Legal?” Retrieved from: , Lydia. April 28, 2010. “Education Trumps Gender in Predicting Support for Abortion.” Retrieved from: , Suzanne. 1988. “Coalition Work in the Pro-choice Movement: Organizational and Environmental Opportunities and Obstacles.” Social Problems, 33(5): 374-390.Staggenborg, Suzanne. 2011. “The Women’s Movement: Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights.” Social Movements. New York: Oxford University Press. Pp. 69-71.Strickler, Jennifer and Nicholas L. Danigelis. 2002. “Changing Frameworks in Attitudes toward Abortion.” Sociological Forum, 17(2): 187-201.Wang, Guang-zhen. 2004. “Social and Cultural Determinants of Attitudes toward Abortion: A Test of Reiss’ Hypotheses.” The Social Science Journal, 41: 93-105. ................
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