Last week I talked to my parents, they told me about an invitation from their church to assist a protest against abortion and euthanasia. I am not sure my parents are totally opposed to these two things, but they trust their “faith” more rather than their own reasoning, so they will be there supporting the penalization of things they didn’t know exist nor understand what it is; euthanasia.

The protest leaders said that abortion puts two lives at risk, the baby and the woman so with this protest they will be saving both lives. The fact is that legal induced abortion is safer than childbirth. I told my parents a march promoting birth control options would be more beneficial.

It is not my intention to state why I favor abortion, I just want to make a point. Mexico is one of the highest countries with teenage pregnancy rates. It is obvious that the sexual education needs a reform. I do not believe that abortion is the solution to this problem, but surely the penalization of it is the wrong approach to a solution. However, the protest of October 20th is only against abortion, they do not have any concern on the biggest problem: teenage pregnancy.

It frustrates me to hear lawmakers and religious leaders trying to legislate the female body. There is nothing more private than a body, and no one has a right over it.

What about euthanasia? Well, my parents were told that if when they get old and none of their children want to take care of them, their children can decide to put them down. Totally false information. When I explained to my mom what euthanasia really is, she would still not accept it, her faith had already provided her with an opinion and going against it would be a synonymous of apostasy; going against the truth, the truth of her faith.

I grew up believing that my body is a temple and I should treat it as a holy thing. The problem I had with this idea is that there were people telling me the way I should treat my temple. No one has a right to put rules on my holy temple. It is mine and I decide how to keep it holy (or not) and how to treat it. If I ever reach a point of no return in my life where there is no quality ahead, I should be able to decide whether to continue or end there, I should be able to decide to be free of any constrain, obligation or bondage. I understand it as the ultimate act of freedom: to decide when and how I want my life to end, a decision made by me and only me. It may sound weird, and I don’t blame you, this is a rare thought of mine. A quote from Montaigne explains so beautifully what I’m trying to say:

It is uncertain where death waits for us, but we wait for it everywhere. The premeditation of death is premeditation of liberty. He who learns how to die has forgotten to serve. The knowledge of death frees us from every constraint and obligation. There is nothing bad in life for he who understands well that the withdrawal of life is not bad.

I moved out of my parent’s house when I was thirteen years old, so at a very young age for better or for worst, I had the opportunity to make my own decisions. I’m not giving that privilege away. I have learned to let the political/religious disagreements between my family and I pass by. I learned that trying to convert my family to my point of view would end in a discussion. I don’t do that anymore. I simply say what I believe in and move along.

-So, how is the weather like in Cancun? I asked my mother and our conversation flowed as usual.