Denying Abortion Rights Are Unkind Acts Against the Marginalized
The United States has had a long-standing and controversial issue with abortion rights which have been shaped by legal battles, political beliefs, and social movements. The main point of discussion surrounding this debate is whether women have the right to make autonomous decisions about their own bodies. For about 50 years, the Roe vs Wade (1973) case helped provide federal protection for abortion access, ensuring that the states cannot enforce excessive restrictions on a woman’s right to choose. However, the shocking decision by the Supreme Court on “Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization” overturned “Roe”, thereby reshaping the legal and political landscape and fuelling the fight for reproductive rights.
With the Dobbs ruling, abortion access followed a series of protections and restrictions with some of the states expanding access while others chose to go down a path of all-encompassing bans. These policies harm marginalized communities, particularly low-income women, people of color, and those who lack the resources to travel out of the state for care. As legal battles continue, the future of reproductive rights in the U.S. hangs in balance.
The film Saving Walden’s World highlights the power of women having full body autonomy and also opportunities including access to higher education. Countries such as Slovenia have demonstrated that full reproductive freedom resulted in lower teen pregnancy rates, lower childhood poverty, and even lower abortion rates when compared to the USA.
NOTE to Men from Jim Merkel, the director of Saving Walden’s World: Until universal reproductive freedom is achieved I’d suggest that men assume a hyper-responsibility to ensure they don’t impregnate their partner. It may seem obvious, but sex must be consensual. No means no. And fertility, having a child, must be hyper-consensual. Planned, wanted, loved, discussed when sober and unaroused. Your sperm is yours, her womb is hers. Men; In this harsh backward climate, what would it feel like to assume you are not going to let your sperm reach her womb? Never! Super-vigilante.
Unless you have both discussed that you are ready to be parents and that the woman is confident she is old enough to make this life-long decision. I’d suggest, waiting until she has finished college and has had opportunities to pursue her dreams, really really really take 100 percent responsibility for your ejaculation. Use condoms, regardless of other methods. Because of the risks and hardships women face in childbirth and this climate of male domination and abortion restriction, you owe it to her to only bring wanted loved children into this troubled world.
Why Abortion Rights Matter
The right to abortion is firmly attached to a woman’s autonomy, dignity, and equality. Lacking access to safe and legal abortion, many women are forced to face severe health risks, economic hardships, and social inequalities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the year 2019, the U.S. saw 629,898 legally induced abortions. However, in the year following the Dobbs ruling, access declined in many states, which has forced many women to travel hundreds of miles to seek unsafe alternatives.
According to the Turnaway study conducted by the University of California (San Francisco), it was found that women who were denied abortions were more likely to experience financial insecurity, poor physical health, and mental health problems. The study also showed that going forward with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy increases the risks of remaining in abusive relationships and the likelihood of remaining in poverty for both the woman and her current children. This finding helps us understand how abortion restrictions stretch beyond reproductive health to a broader issue of economic and social justice.
The Legal Landscape
The Supreme Court’s ruling to reverse “Roe v. Wade” was a historic erosion of reproductive rights, essentially doing away with federal protection for abortion and allowing states complete control to enact abortion legislation, leading to a highly divided legal landscape.
States Safeguarding Abortion Rights
In reaction to Dobbs, some states have acted proactively to safeguard abortion access:
– Illinois, New York, Maine, and California have enacted laws that uphold abortion rights, protecting women from further having to seek reproductive health care without interference from their state.
– Colorado and Vermont have made themselves safe havens for out-of-state patients who want to have abortions.
– In 2022, voters in Kansas defeated a proposed ballot initiative that would have enabled the legislature to prohibit abortion, demonstrating the immense support for reproductive rights even in traditionally conservative states.
Abortion Restricting States
In contrast, numerous states have passed some of the most stringent abortion prohibitions in recent history:
– Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma have enacted near-total bans on abortion, with little or no exceptions, even for rape or incest.
– Several states (including Missouri) have made it illegal for healthcare providers to perform abortions, with severe criminal penalties.
These state-by-state disparities have forced thousands of women to seek maternal rights across state lines, swarming to clinics in states where abortion remains legal.
Case Studies: The Backward Slide in Certain States
Texas: The Six-Week Ban and Vigilante Enforcement
Texas was among the first states to implement an extreme abortion ban with Senate Bill 8 (SB8) in 2021. The law prohibits abortion after approximately six weeks—before most women even know they are pregnant. Private citizens are also given the power to sue anyone who aids and abets an abortion, including Uber drivers transporting patients to clinics and doctors. This bounty-hunter-style enforcement and accountability has bred a kind of fear and uncertainty, making many women leave the state for care.
Alabama: Total Ban with No Exceptions
Alabama’s near-total abortion ban first passed in 2019, took full effect after Dobbs, eliminating nearly all abortion access in the state. There are no exceptions for rape or incest, and doctors who perform abortions face felony charges. Women of Alabama now have to travel hundreds of miles, at least 200 or 300, sometimes more, to reach clinics outside the state, which pose severe financial and logistical burdens.
Missouri: Criminalization of Healthcare Providers
Missouri has some of the harshest abortion restrictions. With felony charges punishable by imprisonment and the loss of a medical license for doctors providing abortions, all attempted abortions, even some to save a woman’s life, are legally reviewed, making such procedures virtually impossible.
Impact on Marginalized Communities
Restrictive abortion laws have a disproportionate impact on marginalized groups, amplifying already-existing health and economic disparities.
– Low-income women are seldom able to travel outside their states to procure abortion care; they must bring unwanted pregnancies to term.
– Black women in America are three times more likely than their white counterparts to die from pregnancy-related causes. Abortion restrictions compound these risks by further inhibiting access to a variety of crucial healthcare services, including abortion.
– People living in rural areas may encounter extreme impediments owing to a dearth of healthcare providers and owing to the great distances to reach the nearest clinic.
Public health experts warn that these inequalities will worsen as more states adopt restrictive abortion policies.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Abortion Rights in the U.S.
Despite the setbacks following Dobbs, the fight for abortion rights continues on multiple fronts.
- Legal challenges and ballot initiatives
While advocacy groups argue cases against restrictive laws, some states have placed abortion rights directly into the hands of the voters. The 2022 Kansas referendum showed that public support for abortion rights can overrule the laws intended to restrict access.
- Federal and State Legislation
Some lawmakers advocate for federal protections, such as the introduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act, restoring abortion rights nationwide. Meanwhile, the more conservative states are trying to further limit access with proposals on abortive travel bans or stricter regulation of medication abortions.
- Grassroots and Advocacy Efforts
Organizations such as the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU are still tracking, challenging, and continuing to fight abortion restrictions. Grassroots movements, especially within restrictive states, are trying to build support networks for women attempting to have abortions, providing funding for travel and lodging.
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