Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice by Dr. Willie Parker

Books by the Cover

What I’m reading this week: 
Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice by Dr. Willie Parker

Growing up poor and black in the Deep South one might find it surprising that Dr. Willie Parker would go on to be an award-winning physician with degrees from institutions like Harvard University.  Dr. Parker, however, is an even rarer unicorn in that he is a man with a fundamentalist Christian background who is an abortion provider and reproductive rights activist who found himself on this professional path as a result of his religious beliefs.  In his autobiography, Life’s Work A Moral Argument for Choice, Dr. Parker takes us on his life’s journey, a journey which requires him to walk the walk of his convictions.  In addition to sharing his personal evolution, Dr. Parker provides insights to the journey of his patients as they seek to exercise agency over their own lives. Reading this book is a valuable experience regardless of where one stands on the issue of rights of access to abortion.  

One of the things I loved about this book was that it was a deep exploration of the issue of personal integrity.  Have you had strong convictions about somethings in the abstract—but ended up seeing it differently when confronted with the issue in real life—and with your integrity intact?  I would love to know!