A leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade feels like a we’d be turning back the clock 30-40 years if the highest court’s nine justices end up finalizing that argument. Here’s why: There are some issues that have already been settled in the court of public opinion like legalizing marijuana, which isn’t anywhere close to how it was portrayed in, say, the 1950s, and is finally being decriminalized at the federal level. One could make the same argument about abortion rights. Most Americans support a woman’s right to choose, as well as upholding Roe v. Wade. But some states aren’t even waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision and are instead imposing their own restrictions and bans.
What’s puzzling is that abortion has dropped to a record-low level. There was a time in this country when abortion was illegal, but it didn’t stop people from seeking them – sometimes in a very unsafe way in back alleys where women risked their lives. To go back to that in 2022 seems ludicrous. Do we then outlaw the morning after pill? The answer isn’t to add more laws and take away rights.
The answer lies in promoting educational forums that include both points of view. We need to explain this issue in a way that brings humanity into the conversation. Spotlighting the importance of birth control needs to be taught alongside curriculum that encourages tweens and teens to postpone sexual intercourse until they’re older and consider abstinence. Abortion isn’t something people take lightly, and we’re in need of a more thoughtful vs. Draconian approach.
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