Roe v. Wade

Roe v. Wade is seen as the most impactful case in support of reproductive rights, specifically abortion rights.

Dahlia Solomon

Context

This case was argued from 1971-72 and the court decided in 1973 in favor of the plaintiff. A woman named Roe brought a class-action lawsuit challenging the criminal abortion laws in Texas. These laws in simple terms banned abortion unless it was to save a woman's life. The other plaintiffs were a physician, Hallford, and a married couple, the Does. A District Court found Roe had the standing to sue, the other three plaintiffs did not. The court came to the landmark decision that the Constitution would protect a woman's right to an abortion through the 14th Amendment.

The Aftermath:

Roe v. Wade was simply the starting point for the fight for equal reproductive rights. This case gave millions of women access to legal and safe abortions. The legalization of abortion made the number of illegal abortions per year drop, between 1972-74 the number of illegal abortions dropped from 130,000 to 17,000 annually. This is important because illegal abortions are extremely dangerous and often ended in death. Typically, black women died in these awful conditions. Roe v. Wade paved a path for women to be able to take control of their bodies. All that said there are still states trying to suppress a woman's access to abortion.

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