Abortion remains as one of the most polarizing and emotionally charged issues in American, particularly given the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The right for women to choose what they can and can’t do with their own bodies should not be up for debate. Many women have different views on abortion due to their personal life experiences, religious beliefs and upbringing, and core values. Yes, abortion should be accessible, however, ultimately women should have the autonomy to decide what they want to do with their own bodies. Therefore, this isn’t about being pro-choice or pro-life, it is about women having the freedom to choose and with that, granting them bodily autonomy. The freedom to choose should be a fundamental right that any and every woman should have.
It is imperative to examine the basis and power structures that govern in shaping reproductive policies. Laws that restrict access to abortion often follow a patriarchal foundation that seeks to control women’s bodies and their autonomy. Hence, when legislators, specifically male, impose restrictions on reproductive healthcare, they perpetuate this framework of dominance that has continuously marginalized women’s rights. Such changes undo all of the progress that had been made in providing equity to women. Stripping away such rights cause more unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions (that women must seek out of their own state), and women risk their own lives and health in the pursuit for a fundamental right.
Furthermore, women should not be risking their own safety, health, and livelihood in the pursuit to obtain access to an abortion. Having such restrictions placed on abortion cause irreparable harm and threaten women everywhere. Women have fought for decades, and continue to do so, in order for them to retain their rights and have access to basic healthcare. According Xing et al., (2023) “abortion is not a fringe issue, it is a critical mainstream aspect of medical care that intersects with every domain of health.” Therefore, having access to abortions is paralleled to that of having access to chronic disease management, cancer treatment, or prenatal care.
After all, healthcare is an essential right that all woman should have regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Marginalized groups tend to suffer the most when it comes to restrictions placed on basic healthcare. Such healthcare disparities are perpetuating the racial injustice vulnerable groups of women have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Women should never be targeted in such a manner. Women deserve basic healthcare rights and with that comes the right to choose what they can do with their own bodies. Taking away autonomy over one’s own body is held in the same regard as undermining a basic human right.
Additionally, ever since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, women have felt more unsafe and targeted when it comes to their basic human right to choose. According to Hooks and Miles (2018), “without control over reproduction, women cannot fully participate in society to determine the course of their own lives.” Controlling women’s right to choose reinforces the patriarchal control that looms over women’s bodies. Women deserve to live in a world where their bodies are not up for debate or control. Rather, they should feel free and liberated to know they can decide what they want in order for them to feel in control over their lives.
