Taking out the “abortion” arguments, what this comes down to is should a child under the age of 18 be able to have a *medical procedure* without a parent’s consent? If people asked themselves this question instead of just asking about abortion, I think more would answer yes.
As a parent I would not want my minor daughter to have ANY medical procedure done with out my knowledge or consent. If it was up to her she probably would have had a sex change at 6 (she thought girls had to wear dresses or skirts all the time), and then reversed it by now! Children are irrational, that is a fact of life. Why is it this way? Because their minds and bodies are still growing, and as parents it is our job to make sure they come out of the process of growing up relatively unscathed.
This means we need to be involved in their lives, as the most important thing any of us will do is to parent a child (not just give birth but to truly have a positive impact).
What happens if for some reason things go awry in the operating room, and you had no idea what was going on? Many people will argue that this is a pro lifer conspiracy, but in reality it is about common sense. Would you let your 15 year old decide what to do with a sick brother? How about how to solve a financial problem? Or what nursing home to put Grand Dad in?
No, No and No. You wouldn’t. Why? Because you are the adult and we adults are better equipped to handle a life altering decision.