Women’s Rights
Yesterday morning, we witnessed the United State”s Supreme Court overturning one if the longest standing rights regarding women’s reproductive health in a 5-4 vote.
Roe v. Wade was brought to the Supreme Court and decided in 1973; guaranteeing all women the access to a safe and private abortion under the first, fourth, ninth and fourteenth amendment. (https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/landmark-cases-roe-v-wade)
Roe v. Wade’s overturn marks an end to women’s constitutional protection over their reproductive health rights. Laws regarding abortion will now be a reserved power, meaning states have the ability to regulate abortion.
Before this, states had already implemented pro-life laws. The following eleven states with the most abortion restrictions: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin and South Dakota. That is not all: eleven “less severe” states have trigger bans that ban abortion rights immediately after the ruling, pre-roe bans, and six-week bans. (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/06/24/1107126432/abortion-bans-supreme-court-roe-v-wade)
As if this wasn’t enough, it is presumed that cases regarding same sex marriage and birth control will be recalled as well. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggests using the same strategies used to overturn Roe v. Wade. (https://khn.org/morning-breakout/thomas-opens-door-for-challenges-to-contraception-gay-right-rulings/)
Low income women, along with teenage girls, victims of sexual assault, and those experiencing health problems are especially at risk.
Alough abortion is heavy, sad, and morally wrong for many, preventing the availability of them by qualified professionals will not stop women from having abortions. Forty-three percent of all abortions are illegal, which means that these women were likely to receive theirs in unsafe and life risking manners (https://web.mit.edu/pro-choice/www/reasons.html).
It is important that we also make sex education and contraceptives available for all. Our women need to feel strong and in control of their bodies, which means we need to offer the upmost support and power to women in their reproductive health decisions.
