Aborting Choices 

Last week has been extremely controversial in not just US media but across the internet world, over the recent US Supreme Court nullification of the ruling over Roe v Wade decision which was in force since 1973. 

For those who aren’t aware of the controversy, here is a small gist from Wikipedia 

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973),^[1] was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion. The decision struck down many federal and state abortion laws,^[2][3] and fueled an ongoing abortion debate in the United States about whether, or to what extent, abortion should be legal, who should decide the legality of abortion, and what the role of moral and religious views in the political sphere should be. 

Well, now coming to why the topic is getting so controversial – this is where we need to understand the role of religion and other establishments come into place. 

Not just the current US Federal govt led by Joe Biden, but also several nations of the world condemn this reversal that was protecting the rights of women to better choices. Why is this a big deal?

I think the whole ruling and the judgment are misinterpreted by many people, and that’s the reason for the controversy. Many religious sects believe that the ruling will prevent or reduce abortions, as they think abortion is equivalent to murder. Aborting a pregnancy is definitely ending a life. However, let’s look at other aspects of a pregnancy before we say that banning abortion will lead to a better world. We also need to understand why safe abortion is needed for women. 

1. Banning abortions will lead to rising in illegal abortion clinics 

We have heard several stories of women dying due to unsafe and illegal abortion clinics in the past. These illegal clinics might resort to crude practices since the mainstream healthcare systems and hospitals do not allow it. 

2. Women or Girls who underwent rape / incest do not get a choice to terminate 

On average, there are 321,500 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States. 9 out of every 10 victims of rape are female. Pregnancies arising out of these cannot be a healthy child or choice for the victim.

3. Abortion bans can effect womens’ physical and mental wellbeing

Research shows that when pregnant people lose access to abortion care, they’re more likely to experience financial strain as well as physical and mental health issues, which mainly affects people in marginalized groups and those with low socio-economic status. Therefore, people need to have the basic right to legally take decisions about their reproductive health. 

4. Women are required to travel to other states in order to escape legal charges 

Overturning Roe v Wade means that women will either have to travel to the state where abortion is legal or will have to carry out illegal abortions. Because let’s just face it, people will get pregnant, and they will seek a way out. For those seeking an abortion in areas with the most restrictions will have to travel to a “destination state,” 16 of which have protections in place, to receive abortion care. For instance, In Texas, people would have to drive 243 miles to the nearest abortion clinic! 

5. “No uterus, no opinion”

Moreover, women should be able to make decisions about their body and life. Providing equal rights is the first and foremost essential thing for a country to progress. 

On June 24 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v Wade in a 5-4 vote, which eliminates the constitutional right to abortion in the country. Within mere hours of this momentous decision nine states including Louisiana, Kentucky and South Dakota have already banned abortion and overall 26 states among the 50 states in the United States are certain or likely to ban abortions in the coming weeks. 

Access to abortion is a human right, which is essential to ensure health, equality, and autonomy. This is not a problem for the US women alone, but a worldwide one. Instead of paving the way for development and nationwide equality, a developed country like the United States is now taking away the basic right of women, the right over their body. The abortion ban is currently active in various states, where one may face extreme punishment in case they want to opt for an abortion. For example, In Louisiana, doctors providing abortions face up to 15 years in prison under a trigger law designed explicitly to take effect under the fall of Roe.

In order to have our voices to reach to the government and the lawmakers, we must fight, by whatever means necessary. Because if we, women, do not come forward to protect the rights and the lives of one another, and to shield those more vulnerable, no one else will. Moreover, if we don’t take action for our sake, the system will keep on suppressing women unless, together, we rise.