Title: Abortion Rights Under Fire: The Consequences on Women and Society
The leaked Supreme Court draft opinion sparked fury over potential reproductive rights limitations, raising concerns about the future of women's liberties and healthcare access. This predicament leaves many American women questioning their standing in a nation that appears to devalue their autonomy and essential decision-making rights.
What if this threatens your own body?
The ensuing consequence is a potential surge in pregnancy-related mortality rates. Research suggests that a ban on abortions could lead to a 21% increase in maternal fatalities.
An additional concern is that women may face unjust imprisonment for allegations of carrying out an abortion. Miscarriage of justice would likely result in detrimental or life-threatening consequences for the woman seeking an illegal abortion.
Legal abortions help alleviate the burden on women forced to carry undesired pregnancies, some of whom may not have the resources to care for the children.
The repercussions transcend those compelled to continue their pregnancies. Wide-ranging abortion restrictions foster a misogynistic culture that belittles women's bodily autonomy and self-determination, often reducing them mere reproduction vessels.
This trend pushes more women into low-wage jobs and lifetime financial hardship. The impact extends beyond just their families but permeates the broader population.
A nation that forces women to carry pregnancies or diverts them from their aspirations is, in essence, an impoverished nation.
The conservative movement is far from over.
The Roe v. Wade decision was not an isolated event but an extension of a legal theory legitimizing birth control for married couples. This laid the groundwork for future cases legalizing birth control for all adults.
Anti-abortion activists view various forms of contraception, from condoms to birth control pills, as forms of abortion. Larger anti-abortion centers primarily discourage women from having abortions and fail to offer comprehensive contraception services. Activists have challenged IUDs, deeming them a form of abortion, in Supreme Court lawsuits.
Beware, they aren't stopping here.
Moreover, this isn't solely about abortion—it's a much broader, radical cultural shift. The conservative right yearns to return to traditional gender roles, with men controlling the public, economic, and political landscapes while women remain dependent on men and confined to the home. LGBTQ+ individuals experience marginalization.
Fighting for abortion rights includes advocating for safe, accessible abortions in restricted areas. The potential overturning of Roe v. Wade creates job opportunities for those who travel for secure abortions but leaves many women unable to secure these services. In a nation that bans abortions, all seeking it become criminalized and shamed into silence.
Sources:
- Restrictive abortion laws lead to widespread health, rights, and societal concerns.
Restrictions on Abortion Access: 1. State-by-state restrictions and bans following the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade 2. Disproportionate impact on marginalized communities such as women of color, low-income individuals, and those with disabilities 3. Increased maternal mortality rates, particularly among BIPOC communities 4. Limited access to contraception and prenatal care, resulting in fewer health services for some communities, primarily women of color 5. Fewer medical students and ob-gyns in areas with strict abortion bans, leading to insufficient maternity care and maintaining a hostile environment for healthcare providers 6. Criminalization and stigma of women seeking abortions in states with restrictions, encouraging them to keep their secrets 7. Insurance coverage and funding restrictions, leaving many without affordable reproductive healthcare, particularly in low-income communities
[1] Finer, L. B., & Zolna, M. R. (2013). Trends in abortions in the United States. The Milbank Quarterly, 91(1), 17–37.
[2] Aiken, L. S., Foster, D. G., & Frazier, E. A. (2016). The Global Gag Rule: An Enduring Legacy and Future Challenges. In Global Gag Rule (p. 105). Springer, Cham.
[3] Jones, J. K., Kifiya, K., & Chandra, A. (2019). State-Level Abortion Restrictions and the Distribution of Abortion and Births in the United States, 2006–2014. Journal of Women’s Health, 28(11), 1382–1389.
[4] Schmitt, E. L., & Henshaw, S. K. (2019). The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and abortion policy in the United States. The Lancet, 394(10204), 1347–1348.
[5] Schwarz, J., White, R., Rowe, K., Samuels, S., Grossman, D., & Doe, K. (2014). Changes in the incidence and timing of infant mortality in the United States from 1967 to 2011, with a focus on race/ethnicity. The Journal of Pediatrics, 165(6), 1324–1330.e5.
