Roe v. Wade Overturned
Roe v. Wade was the federal court case that protected the right to abortion for almost fifty years. 24 June 2022, this case was overturned by the United States Federal Court
What does this mean?
States are allowed to the right to ban abortions for anyone in any trimester of pregnancy. A pregnant person’s right to privacy has been deemed to not extend to their fetus. As of 25 June 2022, 11 states have officially banned or severely limited abortions and 11 are in the process of doing so.
Responses
A #Sexstrike of abstinence began to trend on 25 June 2022, immediately following the supreme decision in overturning Roe v Wade. Calls for a nation-wide gathering of this abstinence strike rapidly gained popularity, reaching more than 26,900 tweets on twitter as of that afternoon.
Although mixed opinions have risen about this particular strike, most Americans are still actively against this overturn. Across social media, celebrities have voiced their own views on the overturn of Roe v Wade – most of disappointment. ‘
Going Forward
The American Psychological Association predicts the criminalization of abortions will severly augment the mental health crisis in america. Those denied abortions experience higher levels of anxiety, low life satisfication, and low-self esteem than those who are allowed abortions.
Deaths involving pregnancies may increase by as much as 21%. The ban of abortions will criminalize the act, but cannot stop them from occurring. Unsafe abortion procedures are more llikely to take place. Black women and those from poorer families become three times more likely to die from pregnancy related complications.
With Roe v Wade successfully overturned, other cases that were previously ruled based on the due process clause faced the possibility of being reconsidered. Cases like Griswold v. Connecticut (right to contraception), Lawrence v. Texas (homosexual activity), and Obergefell v. Hodges (same-sex marriage) were all under the threat of being overturned, but these essential rights are once again protected after the house passed the Respect for Marriage Act and the Right to Contraception Act.
While the topic of abortion is vastly complex, the infringement of women’s reproductive rights abortion bans have should not be overlooked. Our freedoms should not be regressing.
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18
https://nypost.com/2022/06/25/abstinence-trends-on-twitter-in-wake-of-roe-v-wade-ruling/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8404
