Federal abortion protections stopped a year ago today. The U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade significantly affected the nation by eliminating a woman’s most basic right on June 24, 2022. The Justices deprived half of the nation’s population of their bodily autonomy. As a result, several strategies have emerged to challenge the draconian laws enforced by the Republicans.
The past year has seen women’s bodily autonomy stripped in 14 states with total abortion bans and six states severely limited abortion services. United Nations experts said that the consequences of SCOTUS’ actions put millions of women and girls at serious risk. “The experts also pointed to violations of International Human Rights Law as a result of [the U.S. Supreme Court’s] judgment.”
According to UN experts, these bans could violate the right to privacy. They impede on a woman’s bodily autonomy and integrity. Abortion restrictions also fail to comply with “the freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience, [and] religion or belief.”
Laws against women’s reproductive choices infringe on their right to equality and non-discrimination. Moreover, women deserve freedom from cruel, degrading, inhuman treatment and gender-based violence, especially in healthcare.
On June 23, 2023, Democrats in Congress held press conferences addressing the loss of bodily autonomy and freedom to choose. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said: “Women across our country are confronting a dystopian reality, one where Republican politicians have the final say in their healthcare decisions. Women are forced to stay pregnant against their will even when their health and lives are at risk. The fallout has been devastating. Women are heartbroken. They’re terrified, but they are also mad, and they are determined, and they are speaking out.”
Fight Reverse Abortion Law
Senator Murray continued: “Women are not going to settle for a country where men in state legislatures are taking away their fundamental freedom to decide what happens to their bodies, where they are treated, not like adults capable of making their own healthcare choices, but like second class citizens. And they won’t settle for a country where their daughters and granddaughters have fewer rights than they did a year ago.” She promised to battle for bodily autonomy and abortion rights. “This fight did not start with Roe, and it did not end with Dobbs.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) spoke about Representatives’ “unwavering, unyielding, and unequivocal support for reproductive freedom and the Women’s Health Protection Act. Under the leadership of Speaker Emerita [Nancy] Pelosi, House Democrats passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, not once, but twice.”
He concluded the press conference by saying, “I’ll simply end with this observation. The Scripture says that suffering may endure during the night. But joy will cometh in the morning.” Women’s suffering is the “result of the extreme MAGA Republican efforts and their right-wing co-conspirators on the Supreme Court. They’ve inflicted pain and suffering on the women of America for the last year. But we will not rest until reproductive freedom is restored throughout this country. We will not rest until the Women’s Health Protection Act is the law of the land. We will not rest until it’s morning time, once again, in the United States of America.”
The bill could be passed if eight House Republicans would stand up and vote to restore women’s bodily autonomy. After all, polling results indicate that at least 60% of U.S. adults disagree with the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll, published on April 26, 2023, revealed Americans’ attitudes about the decision. Fifty-nine percent disagree with the Court’s ruling and 61% support abortion rights.
Moreover, 67% think there should be reasonable restrictions. For example, abortion should be limited to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Most Americans want a law that protects the pregnant person’s life, health, and safety. They also believe abortions should be legal in instances of rape or incest.
Overall, Republicans are not listening to their voters. Even so-called pro-life experts are surprised at the rage expressed by Americans of all ages and genders. The protest balance shifted, with the majority now against abortion laws over anti-abortion advocates.
These experts are also stunned by the dramatic ways the nation’s attitude toward abortion has changed in the year after the fall of Roe v. Wade. More people have taken an increasingly strong and vocal stance against what they perceive as Republican fascism demanding an end to bodily autonomy restrictions.
Bodily Autonomy Is Essential for Mental and Physical Wellness
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Natalia Kanen spoke about fundamental rights at the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. She said, “Bodily autonomy means my body is for me; my body is my own. It’s about power, and it’s about agency. It’s about choice, and it’s about dignity.”
Most importantly, “bodily autonomy is the foundation for gender equality, and above all, it is a fundamental right,” Kanen added. Deeply rooted social and gender norms reinforce violations of this right. Stereotypes and misconceptions are some of the most persistent barriers to personal rights that harm women and girls.
Unfortunately, overcoming these barriers will require laws to enable rather than deny human rights. For example, American Republicans must remove their earplugs to hear the national cry for sound abortion laws.
Furthermore, they must search their hearts and ask themselves about the soundness of their abortion position.
Those espousing Christian principles might need to pray for their hearts to soften toward Jesus’ definition of humanity.
Until then, pro-rights advocates will continue pushing against the extremely stringent reproductive environment Americans live under. Like Senator Murray said: “This fight did not start with Roe, and it did not end with Dobbs.” Citizens will continue that fight until a person’s bodily autonomy is recognized and abortion is federally protected.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Forbes YouTube Video: Just In: Senate Democrats Decry Abortion Restrictions On Anniversary of Dobbs Decision
Forbes YouTube Video: Just In: Jeffries, House Dems Slam GOP Anti-Abortion Policies One Year After Roe v. Wade Overturned
Positive Women’s Network USA: Bodily Autonomy: A Framework to Guide Our Future
United Nations Population Fund: Bodily Autonomy: A Fundamental Right
Politico: I Underestimated the Depth of Outrage’: A Year in Post-Roe America
NPR: Poll: Americans want abortion restrictions, but not as far as red states are going; by Domenico Montanaro
Featured and Top by Nini From Paris Courtesy of Unsplash+
First Inset Image by Gayatri Malhotra Courtesy of Unsplash
Second Inset Image by Nik Courtesy of Unsplash+
Second Inset Image by Gayatri Malhotra Courtesy of Unsplash
