To start, here’s a little history lesson:

January 22^nd of 1973 saw the landmark ruling of Roe V Wade being signed into law. This meant that under the United States constitution, a pregnant woman would have the right to an abortion without government reaction or restriction. The ruling has been revisited times before and has been cemented each time by the Supreme Court. However, this hasn’t stopped heavy debate over the subject and the recent opinion draft by SCOTUS member, Samuel Alito is the first time since law was passed, 49 years ago, that there is a real possibility of the law being overturned.

What would it mean if Roe vs Wade was overturned? Well, under the American political system each state can operate under their own state laws - if this does not go against the constitution. If Roe V Wade is overturned, then each state would be able to decide their own laws on abortion, even including the complete ban on it.

In a statement released by the White House, US President Joe Biden stated, “I believe that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned.” Whilst on the other side of the isle it seems that house Republicans are deflecting the real issue at hand. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said on the 5^th of May that the public should concentrate on “Not a leaked draft, but the fact that the draft was leaked.” The leak has seemed to further divide the American Congress.

Democrats scrambled to get a bill on the Senate floor to codify Roe V Wade, but this bill ultimately failed with every Republican senator voting against it. Turning to McConnell again, the senator suggested that if the law was overturned then it could be possible that a nationwide ban on abortion could be on the table, highlighting where the modern-day Republican party stands on many issues.

A recent poll done by FiveThirtyEight found that 69% of the American people would not like Roe V Wade to be overturned. Yet here we stand with congress seemingly holding different sentiments and with the highest court in the land ready and eager to go against the will of the people and with an uncertain future of other, once thought to be, cemented laws. One should be confused and a little concerned over the fact the officials elected by the public do not seem to reflect the wants and needs of those they are serving. Events like these heavily scrutinize the integrity, and purpose of these systems and beg the question: are they even working?

The Chinese Communist Party decided to respond with excessive force, in the early hours of June 4th 1989 when the People’s Liberation Army marched into the square armed to the teeth with automatic weapons and supported by heavy tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The resulting conflict that erupted between the protestors and Chinese military escalated very fast which soon led to the infamous massacre that claimed the lives of at least 10,000 people if contemporary sources are to be believed.

The appalling images which soon emerged of the resulting massacre left the entire international community completely shocked. Pictures of burning vehicles, students being crushed by tanks as they slept and protestors as young as our grade 9s being shot in broad daylight. No matter how you look at it seems we are always doomed to repeat our history and more often than not that history is tragic and leaves us its viewers feeling incredibly depressed. It does seem a bit ironic however that some of our best moments as humans, our defining moments can only really occur in moments of suffering and pain. Stories of people like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, the Dalai Llama and Albert Einstein all of whom have been immortalised by their actions as truly inspirational people all of whom were forged in their own fires of pain and struggle. We humans are very complicated we are capable of performing some of the greatest acts oh heroism and greatness it just so happens that we need darkness in order to shine our brightest.

This month is a month dedicated internationally to being who you are and being proud of it. Whether straight, gay, bisexual or any other sexuality, you should feel comfortable in your own skin and feel safe expressing who you are. Pride month wasn’t simply chosen for no reason, rather a result of a mass gay rights movement.

The world in 1969 was not as accepting as it is now. Most people who were LGBTQ either hid their sexuality or only expressed themselves in certain areas. An example of this is the Stonewall Inn bar in New York. In the early hours of June 28^th, 1969, the Stonewall Riots began. Police had raided the bar several times in months before. These raids resulted in increased homophobia, violence towards the LGBTQ community and often these raids resulted in several people being severely injured and even killed. The riots began with LGBTQ individuals and supporters protesting against the raids and violence the police showed.