Embedded Files
This opinionated article was written by Somanna Houde. It gives her stance on abortion and how the hot-button issue should be handled.
Abortion should always be safe and legal
Abortion should always be safe and legal
By Somanna Houde
By Somanna Houde
Everyone should have access to an abortion; Roe vs. Wade was a law that protected that right and ensured that every American had access to safe and legal abortions. It was overturned on June 24 of 2022 by the United States supreme court. Roe vs. Wade had been in effect since 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled that every woman had the constitutional right to privacy. This occurred almost 50 years ago and now, in 2022, we are going backward, as people in America are losing the right to make decisions for their bodies.
Roe vs. Wade was a case that began in 1970. According to Britannica, a woman named Norma McCorvey instituted federal action against the direct attorney of Dallas county, Henry Wade. She used the name “Jane Roe'' to protect her identity in the case, hence the name Roe vs. Wade. McCorvey was a young woman in her twenties who wished to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. She was living in Texas at a time when abortion was legal, but only in the case when the woman's life was put at risk. McCorvey, like many others, did not believe this to be fair, so over the next three years, she fought tooth and nail for everyone with a uterus. She finally won the lawsuit against Wade, legalizing abortion in 1973.
Norma McCorvey is picture on the left.
Photo by The Washington Post
Photo by Reuters
Before abortion was legalized federally in 1973, terminating a pregnancy was still limited in some states. State restrictions did not affect women of a certain financial position, who could simply travel to another state or country where the operation was safe and legal or pay a doctor in the United States to do an under-the-table operation. This situation was not fair and widened the gap between the wealthy and the poor. As a result, people would often resort to dangerous, self-induced abortions, as well as “back-alley” procedures. The number of these procedures is insane. According to the Guttmacher Institute, “the estimated number of illegal abortions in the United States ranged from 200,000 to 1.2 million per year.”
These numbers are astounding, but it would not be surprising if we reach these numbers again, as more and more states are beginning to revert to laws that were in place around 50 years ago. The Washington Post reports that, currently, 14 states have limited or even completely banned abortion, and seven states have attempted to ban it but, they have temporarily been blocked by courts. In many cases, people can simply drive to a different state to get the procedure, but as more and more states make abortion illegal, areas begin to arise that are now being called “abortion deserts.” In these areas, someone would have to drive hundreds of miles to reach a state where abortions are available. Not only is this journey expensive, but it also can be hard to find a doctor who is willing to risk a lawsuit.
There are many other adversities that people face when trying to obtain an abortion. One of the hardest, psychologically, is the pro-life protesters who will harass these patients before they even enter clinics. A Washington Post article from the perspective of a former escort at Planned Parenthood speaks about this very issue: “The anti-choice protesters would ‘sidewalk counsel’ them, trying to push rosaries into patients’ hands and divert them in any way just short of physical assault.'' This, sadly, is not the only action that protesters will take. In an attempt to stop clients from reaching their appointment, they have set up “fake clinics” that look like medical facilities. According to the Women's Health Network, “The American anti-choice movement has built thousands of these outposts across the country with the sole purpose of preventing women from accessing abortion (through lies and coercion,) and they're hiding in plain sight.” The amount of false information that is spewed is astounding. No one should have to endure this, especially the people who are already making an incredibly challenging decision for themselves and their future.
Photo by abc news
Everyone, no matter their financial situation, background, or beliefs, should have access to safe abortions. Roe vs. Wade was a federal law that protected the right to acquire an abortion in the U.S. and it is horrifying that, in this day and age, the United States supreme court was able to make the decision to overturn this law. It is a violation of privacy and free will to let anyone make decisions for a woman's body, and it is saddening that we are sliding backward in our society enough to allow this violation to occur.
Sources:
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/07/01/planned-parenthood-clinic-escort/
https://nwhn.org/expect-need-pregnancy-abortion-help/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/24/abortion-state-laws-criminalization-roe/
https://www.guttmacher.org/search/site?terms=number+of+back+alley+abortions
Page updated
Report abuse