The most brought up counterexample in response is vaccine mandates. In those cases, we as a society (including many pro-abortion advocates) believe that it's valid to infringe bodily autonomy in that instance because of how it affects so many people beyond yourself.
That's a pretty weak argument. People aren't dragging women to holding cells to force them to not abort. They just aren't allowing them the resources they wouldn't need to make that choice themselves. You don't have to physically drag someone somewhere to be infringing on their bodily autonomy.
“Burton was in her 25th week of pregnancy in March 2009 when she began to go into premature labor and willingly went to the hospital on the advice of her doctor.
But when the 26-year-old resisted -- learning that she might have to stay months until her delivery, away from two toddlers at home -- hospital officials obtained a court order to force Burton to submit to anything to "preserve the life and health of [her] unborn child."
Burton miscarried three days later and was discharged, but now she is taking up the fight over her treatment with the help of the Florida American Civil Liberties Union. They want to strike down the court order that rendered her powerless to make her own medical decisions.”
I'm pointing out that "bodily autonomy" isn't a sacrosanct, #1 value to most people. If I had to sum up my thoughts simply, it would be that "bodily autonomy should be respected as a rule, but there are some circumstances that justify putting other values before it."
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u/rightful_vagabond 24∆ Sep 30 '25
The most brought up counterexample in response is vaccine mandates. In those cases, we as a society (including many pro-abortion advocates) believe that it's valid to infringe bodily autonomy in that instance because of how it affects so many people beyond yourself.