The Fate of Roe vs. Wade
With finals rapidly approaching, this past week has been stressful for many of us. For those of us with a uterus, the current Supreme Court proceedings have only intensified the anxiety of the week. This past week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case in Mississippi that would impose strict restrictions on abortions. The Supreme Court will not hand down their decision until summer, however, the current conservative-liberal balance of the Supreme Court judges does not bode well for future abortion rights. The decision will have the power to overturn Roe vs. Wade entirely, meaning that abortion laws in states across the country could be restricted.
Out of all the antipathy expressed this past Wednesday, a recurrent theme was Justice Amy Cony Barret’s repeated suggestion of adoption as an alternative to abortion. Much of Justice Barret’s argument focused on safe-haven laws, which permit parents to leave their newborn children with the employee of designated safe-haven sites without risk of being charged with abandonment. The issue with this line of reasoning is that it still requires a parent to live through the pregnancy and any complications which may arise throughout the process. Amy Cony Barret’s argument also fails to acknowledge the shortfalls of the adoption and foster care systems. Justice Amy sought to frame adoption as a means of reproductive freedom, which undermines the experiences of those who would be forced to undergo pregnancy, as well as those who have experienced mental or physical suffering within the adoption and foster care systems.
Twenty-one states are already poised to ban or severely restrict abortion access if Roe vs. Wade is overturned. Many of these states are located in the south and midwest. If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, then states will be able to enact “trigger laws” restricting abortion access, which would take effect immediately upon the Supreme Court’s final decision. Trigger laws vary from state to state, but many of them would automatically begin if Row vs. Wade is overturned. Several states, including South Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, and Georgia, have passed “heartbeat” laws that ban abortion as soon as a heartbeat can be detected. The heartbeat is usually detectable at six weeks, which is so early that many people are unaware of the pregnancy at six weeks. These laws are currently blocked by courts, but they would be automatically passed if Roe vs. Wade is overturned.
Women across the country have been marching the past three days to protest the prospect of Roe vs. Wade being overturned. Dozens of individuals who protested at the courthouse where the Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization case is being held were arrested this past Wednesday. Despite this, countless have continued to show up for rallies that protest the case.