Opinion

The Fight for Reproductive Rights: Understanding the Abortion Ban and How You Can Help

By: Sophia Thomas

No matter who you are, you will need some kind of medical help. Whether it is a band-aid on a scraped knee to an organ transplant or abortion. Now what would you do if you couldn’t get that band-aid or life saving treatment just because someone says it’s wrong? Well some of us don’t have to imagine, for many women, children, trans men, and nonbinary people

this is unfortunately their reality. In this article we will delve into what the abortion ban is, its consequences, what Roe v. Wade is and why it should be legal, and finally how and why you should help even if you are outside the United States where this is happening.

What is the abortion ban?

It is referring to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The national women's history alliance website references it as, “1973 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179:  The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.” Roe v. Wade is a court case from 1973 that in simple terms said that the constitution protected the right to abortion.

History of the abortion bans

Unfortunately, multiple people have always fought to make abortion illegal. An instance of this is Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, which as the national women's history alliance explains, “ 1989 In Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 492 U.S. 490 (1989), the Supreme Court affirms the right of states to deny public funding for abortions and to prohibit public hospitals from performing abortions.” Another example of this would be from an article called “Abortion Is Central to the History of Reproductive Health Care in America” on Planned Parenthood, “Leaders didn’t outlaw abortion in America until the mid-1800s. From colonial days until those first laws, abortion was a regular part of life for women. Common law allowed abortion prior to “quickening” — an archaic term for fetal movement that usually happens after around four months of pregnancy,” So for those who think that this is a new issue they are unfortunately wrong. Another quote from this article to support this point is, “Starting around the time of the Civil War, a coalition of male doctors — with the support of the Catholic Church and others who wanted to control women’s bodies — led a movement to push state governments to outlaw abortion across the board. The male-dominated medical profession wanted to take authority from the female-dominated profession of midwives, including the authority to provide abortion.”

Consequences of the abortion ban

Now you may be thinking, “Well it forces women to have babies if they are pregnant.” Well for some yes but the abortion ban does not make abortion not happen it just makes them less safe. MSI, one of the world's leading providers of sexual and reproductive healthcare, says that, “ Abortion bans don’t prevent abortions, they only make them less safe—and the poorest and most marginalised communities bear the brunt.” Now you may be thinking, “ Yeah some people might die, but it can’t be that many right,” well unfortunately you are wrong. As the numbers of the National Library of Medicine said,” Some 68,000 women die of unsafe abortion annually, making it one of the leading causes of maternal mortality (13%). Of the women who survive unsafe abortion, 5 million will suffer long-term health complications.”

Why you should help

Now why does this matter and what is different from back in the day? Well a quote from the above article from Planned Parenthood said this “By 1910, abortion was banned nationwide. However, those with means — specifically wealthy white women — could afford to travel to skirt the law and access abortion while other people could not,” this shows that abortion bans have never stopped abortion. The abortion ban not only puts women’s health and lives at risk, but also has always been a form of discrimination.

How you can help

Abortion bans put women's health at risk and kill women and children every year. It may be something that does not affect you but that does not mean you can’t help. Almost every state has pro-choice marches, websites, and charities you can donate to or volunteer for to help the cause. A few examples include Planned Parenthood, the Jane’s Due Process, the Texas equal access fund and many more. Please don’t be afraid to report, if you are experiencing domestic violence, have been a victim of SA or need any other help please don’t be afraid to call 911 or your local police station. Please know you are not alone in this. If you need support, please text or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or if you are having suicidal thought or just need some support text or dial 988.

However, there is something that can be done about it, and a good starting point is with kids. With a bigger emphasis on physical education at schools, kids will learn how important it is to be active. This does not mean they are necessarily learning how to exercise properly, but that you are setting kids up with habits that will follow them into adulthood. The earlier we can instill these habits, the better our chances of breaking the cycle of inactivity and the poor health that goes with it.

Physical education is also about more than just fitness. It teaches kids how to work together, how to communicate, and how to push through challenges. It’s about learning to try new things, even if you’re not the best at them. Iowa West City High School PE instructor Erika Mundt puts it best, "PE involves cooperative learning, acceptance of yourself and others, learning to try new things no matter how good you are, communication, and problem-solving". These are lessons that can benefit children in so many areas of life, from forming friendships to understanding how to deal with setbacks.

If we want to make a difference in the health of future generations, we need to take physical education more seriously in our schools. By teaching children not only how to be active, but also how to cooperate as a team, communicate, and build confidence, we can set them up for a healthier, happier future. It is not just about exercise, it's about building habits and skills for life.