This is a big one. Prepare yourself.
It is astonishing to me how we are living in the 21st century and yet we are still trying to fight for the basic rights of women. Just because our body parts differ from those in power or those who are currently dominating mainstream politics, doesn’t make it remotely fair to discriminate against us. Was the blood, sweat, and tears of the suffragettes for nothing? The bad-ass, activist women’s organisation in the early 20th century under the banner “Votes for Women” fought for a woman’s right to vote, but even though that ‘privilege’ of voting remains, it is other rights that women should be automatically entitled too that are being tested. Specifically, the right to an abortion.
Now, let’s get a little technical. Abortion is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy, whether this is through taking specific medication or via a surgical procedure. To put it simply, abortion is a basic healthcare need for millions of women, girls, or uterus-possessing individuals who can become pregnant. Over the last twenty-five years, more than fifty counties have changed their laws to allow for greater access to abortion, thus recognising the vital role that access to safe abortion plays in protecting and ensuring women’s lives and health. This is the kind of development we wish to see. A step in the right direction in giving women the basic rights they deserve. But, just as the yellow brick road was beginning to pave itself to this desired outcome, an obstacle appears. A big one for that matter. This hurdle being a leaked Supreme Court document claiming that the US Supreme Court are in favour of overturning the basic right to having access to safe abortion. The fact that the Supreme Court is referred to as the nation's “most senior legal body” is ridiculously amusing to me, and you can probably see why. Now that this piece of legislation has been overturned, abortion is expected to become criminalised across twenty-six states. This will make abortion illegal across most of the South and Midwest.
With the technical element out of the way, proceed to now open your minds. Wide and far. As the history lesson will now commence...
Abortion was first made legal across the US after an outstanding landmark legal ruling in 1973, referred to as the ‘Roe v Wade’ case. The 1973 case stated that a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy was protected by the US constitution. By a vote of just seven to two, the court ruled that governments lacked the power to forbid abortions, meaning for the last forty-nine years women’s lives and health have been protected due to abortion being allowed within the US. The case drastically changed women’s rights; in that, it gave American women the right to an abortion in the first trimester of their pregnancy. However, in 1980 the US Supreme Court upheld a law that banned the use of federal funds for abortion except when necessary to save a woman's life. Then in 1989, it approved more restrictions, including allowing states to prohibit abortions at state clinics. Now it appears to be wanting to tighten its grip even further. Squeezing any ounce of hope that remains of a women’s basic right remaining intact.
The repercussions of this legislation being overturned mean that individual states across the US will be able to decide whether abortion is legal within their state boundaries. But just like dominoes, when one falls, so do the others.
It's important to remember this. People have abortions. You read that correctly. All the time, regardless of what the law says. Whether it is legal or not, people still require and regularly access abortion services. In fact, every year one-quarter of pregnancies end in abortion. People generally seem to be under the impression that when something becomes criminalised, it means it will never occur. This is far from the truth. When governments restrict access to abortion, it doesn’t mean that the act will cease to ever exist again, it simply means that individuals will be more compelled to resort to unsafe, dangerous methods to achieve their intentions. Say it with me. Criminalising abortion does not stop abortion, it just makes abortion less safe. And, if that doesn’t settle right with you, then maybe this will. It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that 25 million unsafe abortions take place each year, many of them occurring in developing countries. 25 million. Just let that settle for a moment. 25 million. To think that 25 million uterus-bearing individuals are putting their lives in danger, simply because they cannot access something that should be entitled to them, is simply heart-breaking.
It is also very worth mentioning that it is not only cisgender women and girls (those assigned female at birth) who may need access to abortion services but also intersex people too. Such as transgender men and boys, and people with gender identities who have reproductive capabilities. This denial of a medical service, which should be available to all regardless of any factor, is simply a form of discrimination. The ability to access safe abortion services is a human right. A basic one. Just like how individuals have to right to free speech, the right to protest, and the right to an education; the right to safe abortion should be firmly placed amongst that list.
Roe v Wade being overturned is one of the biggest human rights setbacks to have occurred in American History. The majority of people I have seen raise awareness of the issue are women or non-binary. So, a little reminder to all the men out there, this isn’t ‘our’ issue, it’s an issue that affects all of society. So don’t be afraid to speak up.
To all my readers, bring up this topic, no matter how uncomfortable the situation may become. I dare you. By communicating with one another, an issue as big and as potent as this one is brought into the limelight. Allowing it the attention it deserves.
