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Yesterday, a supreme court document was leaked indicating that Roe v. Wade could potentially be overturned come June. If overturned, this would mean that abortion would no longer be considered federally legal.
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How did this happen?
Roe v. Wade has been upheld for fifty years, and many are feeling shocked, confused, angry, and devastated at the leaked draft written by Justice Alito. This should not be a shock because the court has been packed appropriately for this moment. From the draft, Justices Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett make up the majority to overturn Roe. Former President Trump appointed Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett during his administration.
Abortions Won't Go Away
The undoubtedly sad part about the document is that abortions won't go away. On paper, women and transmen will not be able to receive safe and legal abortions; however, they will still seek out abortions that may not be entirely safe.
The Unsafe Abortion
Bleach. Clothes hangers. Herbs. Pills. What these have in common is that they are used in an unsafe manner among pregnant people who do not want to be pregnant. You may know that the uterus and the stomach are different organs. You may know that using a clothes hanger may lead to irreversible damage, hemorrhaging, and even death. And you may know that using pills unintended is dangerous. There is a massive assumption that everyone has access to healthcare, specifically reproductive healthcare. This isn't new information.
Reality of Abortion
I used to work at the National Abortion Federation located in DC. I've heard first-hand the horror stories from pregnant people who don't want a child. Their reasons? Bad timing. They can't afford a child. They'll be kicked out of the house. Their pregnancy is high-risk. Their birth control failed. They are pursuing a college degree. They are older and don't want complications. They were raped. In fact, they don't need a reason to convince you. You probably know someone who has had an abortion. And no, they don't have to tell you.
The people who will be significantly affected by the decision (and if we are being honest, they have been affected) are people of color and poor people. Access and socioeconomic status are the issues. NAF's mission is to support abortion providers in delivering patient-centered and evidence-based care. NAF also provides monetary support for those within a specific financial bracket. My biggest takeaway from working at NAF was realizing that people lack basic resources such as health education and a living wage. Also, many state laws dramatically impact a pregnant person's choice.
6 Weeks, 12 Weeks, 28 Weeks
Your state dictates your pregnancy. Your pregnancy dictates your access. Your access is defined by your means. Your means are dictated by your state. Do you see a pattern? Some states allow abortions up to 24 weeks into pregnancy. Others only allow up to 10 weeks. And less than five states provide late-term abortion services over 28 weeks.
Let's say you live in Mississippi, and you are 35 weeks pregnant. You are absolutely over the moon to welcome your child into the world. Then, the unspeakable happens. A fetal anomaly was discovered where the fetus's brain has not developed correctly. The closest late-term abortion provider lives in Colorado, about a 5-hour flight costing around $600 round trip for a procedure costing thousands.
Or maybe, you are in your early 20s and are one year away from completing your degree. You don't feel right, and head to the health center to discover you are 12 weeks pregnant. Your state only allows medical abortions for up to 10 weeks. Your options are to seek an abortion out-of-state or to have the child and risk not finishing your degree. With the first option, you still risk your degree because of the time and energy spent seeking reputable abortion services and not an anti-abortion "crisis pregnancy center."
The Truth
Do some people who have had an abortion feel sad? Of course, they do. And there are resources available to those who may experience depression post-abortion. We are human, and we tend to feel heavy when making a huge, life-changing decision. People who seek an abortion or have had an abortion are not callous murderers. They do what they think is best with what they have or are given. It is a choice that doesn't concern you.
It's called minding your own business.
Whatever your story, it is your right, your choice, and your business. Just because you don't see abortions happening, it doesn't mean they aren't happening. If overturned, the supreme court will remove a fundamental human right, allow unsafe abortions, and ultimately erase fifty years' progress.
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