Decades after Roe v. Wade, why do reproductive rights in America seem more at risk than ever?
Experts discuss the history and action points in 2020.
In terms of rights, women have made enormous strides in a relatively short period of time.
Much of this immense progress has happened in my still-living grandmothers lifetime.
The battle over reproductive rights is not limited to abortion, either.
Within a short span, this flipped; by 1880, the practice was largely illegal.
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So, lawmakers moved to prevent white women from terminating pregnancies.
None of this stopped people from getting abortions.
According to Reagan, practitioners simply stopped advertising and began performing abortions in secret.
Interestingly, pro- and anti-abortion rights groups were not always split along party lines.
Prior toRoe v. Wadein 1972, neither political party had an official stance on abortion.
After the ruling, however, the Democratic party felt it had to take a stand.
The polarity of the two parties stances quickly made abortion into a hot-button issue.
Unfortunately, the only vehicle available is the…Medicaid bill.
Then in the 1980s, the anti-abortion rights movement embraced a new strategy of appointing conservative justices.
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Its an easier, shorter process toget a Supreme Court justice on the benchthan it is toamend the Constitution.
And anti-abortion activists are now gearing up for a new round of court cases.
These laws are essentially designed to be challenged by the Supreme Court, which currently has a conservative majority.
Plus,President Trump is stacking lower federal courts with conservative appointments, too.
Abortion is a canary in the coal mine, says Smith.
That [anti-abortion rights] opposition is not just about abortionits really about comprehensive reproductive health services.
This includes access to contraceptives.
Title X funding is the best case study of the current administrations hostile attitude towards contraception and reproductive health.
(Due to the aforementioned Hyde Amendment, these providers cant use Title X funds to perform abortions.)
These policies disproportionately affect young people.
you might also make noise in your city or county, says Miller.
It had direct impact, it made a real difference.
If you support reproductive rights, its also important to be vocal about that.
Opposition is loud, in other words, but support is in the majority and can be louder.
Nows the time [to get involved], Ryland says.
My body, my choice, has never mattered more.
This story was originally published on March 24, 2020.
It was updated on June 30, 2020.
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