SUMEDHA MANHAS
Since beginning we have admired west for its progressive nature and the subject of abortion rights has been one of the most divisive for the United States. On the 24th of June, Supreme court overruled the Roe vs Wade judgment by conservative majority, the same judgment that legalised abortion 50 years ago.“Lives are being saved immediately, and thousands will be saved in the coming weeks and months” said Majorie Dannenfelser, President Anthony pro life America. The conservative Christian party claim for it to be morally incorrect while a large group of liberals and feminists argue for abortion to be a personal decision and thus believe so that the same shouldn’t require any restriction/ban or any government interference. ’’Democracy in threat’’ the protesters say and many seem to agree as the dissatisfaction for this decision grows worldwide. Along with many celebrities president Biden and Vice president Kamala Harris have too been vocal with their discontent regarding the ban leading to President Biden issuing an executive order to safeguard this healthcare service which would include protecting privacy of the patients, prompting safety measures for patients as well as clinics and putting in federal efforts to protect the reproductive rights of women.
As of now The states of Idaho, Wyoming and North Dakota are amongst the few states where the ban goes into effect promptly, while the debate still continues In Kansas, Indiana etc. the states of New York, California, new Hampshire, Illinois however have laws protecting abortion. Alabama’s governor in May signed into the law ‘Draconian bill’ that could punish any doctor performing abortion. This has not only put doctors in a difficult position where they will have to rethink doing an abortion or they would go to jail, and with no clear and legal definition of ‘conditions’ under which abortion can be performed without putting doctors in the position of liability, it also shows how America’s pro life/ save a heartbeat notion failed to serve its female citizens. States of Ohio, Texas and Georgiana have already banned abortion after 6 weeks, a very early stage of pregnancy where most women don’t even realise they’re pregnant! Even though abortion can only take place if a woman’s life is at stake, a statistics also showed that worldwide around 47000 females die due to abortion related compilations.More than being a basic healthcare right, abortion is necessary for various other reasons protecting a female’s life as well. According to a statistics, nearly 300,000 minors got married in the united states between the years 2000 to 2018. With increasing child marriage rate and the age of consent to marriage being lesser than the age to consent for sexual activity abortion turns to be a probable solution to prevent young women going into unplanned motherhood. Abortion not only protects unprepared women from unwanted pregnancies but has also provided protection to young rape survivors. According to a statistics, 1 in every 9 girl experiences sexual assault, hence denying the right to terminate pregnancy puts the life of victims in risk especially the underage ones. The concern arises as black women in the USA are nearly at 14 percent risk of dying due to pregnancy than white privileged females thus proving the ban to be more exploitative for women of colour. Denial to abortion subdues women to access basic services thus sustaining inequality, a cause feminists have been fighting for since ages, and maintaining both economic and intersectional disparity among women, therefore giving rise to the existing patriarchy. This law hits hardly to the disabled, teenagers and poor. Around 73% of Americans have supported abortion in ‘all’ or ‘most’ cases. America as a nation Is largely diverse in size and thus this decision is definitely lacking thorough consideration as the law takes away autonomy of a female’s body. Protestors constantly raise their voice against a law whose penalty is higher than that of rape. And we find ourselves questioning, yet again- was there any woman in the room these laws were made ?
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.