Overturning Roe v. Wade: Supreme Court poses a devastating threat to women’s rights | Opinion
A shocking decision was introduced by the Supreme Court that will completely erase strides made for reproductive rights over the past 50 years. If the decision is to be made final, it will rip the right to safe and legal abortion care from the hands of women and girls in the United States.
No matter what, people should have the right to control what happens to their own bodies. This decision will completely terrorize that.
In an initial draft majority opinion leaked to POLITICO, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade — a landmark decision made in 1973 removing all existing laws criminalizing abortion. Additionally, the draft mentions overturning Casey— a decision made in 1992 that confirmed the right to abortion.
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The draft undoubtedly scrutinizes the Court’s decisions made in both cases, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Alito states. “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.”
More: How would Alito’s opinion on abortion affect other rulings? | Opinion
States' push for more anti-abortion legislation
Many have feared this exact moment coming into fruition for years. Ever since the court’s decision was made in 1973, it has consistently been tested.
State legislatures have enacted over 1,300 restrictions and/or threats in those almost 50 years; including gestational bans, trigger laws, parental consent laws, insurance coverage bans, targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) laws, method bans, reason based bans, etc.
This made it extremely difficult for people to access abortion care, especially people of color and low income individuals.
In 2021 alone, there were 97 restrictions enacted into law, setting a U.S. record for the most restrictions enacted in a single year. Despite the fact that the majority of Americans support upholding Roe, with a 6-3 conservative majority in the Supreme Court, it isn’t surprising that legislation like this is being passed.
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The implications of banning abortion access statewide is dangerous. Denying women of abortion can have a serious impact on their health, existing children, other family members and their futures. History has shown that denying abortion does nothing but put those who are seeking it in unsafe situations—seeking alternative procedures.
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The court’s final decision will likely be made in two months, but until then, abortion rights activists will be fighting to put a stop to this. Abortion access should remain a constitutional right.
Bailey Hardeman is in the Class of 2022 in the Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Roe v. Wade: How the Supreme Court poses a threat to women’s rights
