I’ve worked with scientists for many years and I think this is an area where science doesn’t necessarily provide an answer that tells us anything about fundamental human rights.

Anyway, like I said in the essay, voting is about who counts in society and in our politics — it’s not *just* a responsibility and it’s definitely not a burden, it’s a measure of how widely we let people participate in civic life and I’m for far more participation. So I wouldn’t compare getting pregnant to voting.

As an aside: Someone else brought up marriage ages in states, which actually vary a bit. Most are 18, one is 19, one is 21, but they have exemptions if the bride-to-be is pregnant, which is an interesting point — someone’s legal rights are EXPANDED if they’re pregnant. Go figure!