Beyond Roe: Exploring the Future of Abortion Rights
Abortion is a contested issue in American politics, involving legal, religious, and moral questions. Abortion is defined as “the termination of pregnancy by various means, including medical surgery, before the fetus is able to sustain independent life.” People that support the “pro-life” movement call for an end to abortion, which they often view as murder. Those that deem themselves “pro-choice” support access to abortion, which they often view as a fight for bodily autonomy. Recently, the 2022 Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned precedent set by Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed abortion access as a constitutional right.
Proponents of Legal Abortion
Supporters of the pro-choice movement believe in a woman’s right to choose, citing data from the WHO showing that restricting abortion access does not diminish their frequency, but instead decreases the amount of safe abortions that are available. Countries with strict abortion legislation often have a higher rate of unsafe abortions than countries with less stringent laws.
Additionally, advocates for abortion access argue that enacting a law restricting bodily autonomy for any person can set a dangerous precedent for future legislation. The Turnaway Study by the University of San Francisco found that 60% of people seeking abortions already had other children and that women who were denied abortions later had an increased likelihood of financial hardships.
Recent polls indicate that 52% of Americans now self-identify as pro-choice. More specifically, 85% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal in “at least certain” circumstances, and 69% believe it should be legal for the first trimester. However, only 37% of Americans approve of abortion in the second trimester, and just 22% approve of abortion in the third trimester.
Links To Get Involved With Organizations Advocating For Abortion Rights:
Center for Reproductive Rights
Proponents of Banning Abortions
Supporters of the pro-life movement believe in protecting the rights of the unborn, maintaining that fetuses are entitled to the same constitutional rights as their mothers. Many of these arguments stem from views holding life as beginning at conception which, in turn, designate abortion as murder. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Dr. Alfred M. Bongioanni, a professor of pediatrics and obstetrics, stated that conception marks the beginning of life and a complete human, reasoning that since most would agree that a child before puberty is equally as human as a grown adult, a fetus is a human just the same.
Another prominent pro-life advocate is MLK’s niece and former Georgia state representative, Alveda King, who compared abortion to racism. She concludes that both derive from the root of selfishness as they both justify eradicating any person that stands between one and their wants.
Recent polls show that 44% of Americans identify as pro-life.
Links To Get Involved With Organizations Advocating For Unborn Rights:
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to support legal abortion access.
