It is not news that Roe v. Wade (1973) was overturned by the Supreme Court this summer. A case that has had a prominent space in U.S history. A case that provided the foundation for numerous other cases that fought for rights pertaining to the LGBTQ community and birth control. Gone. 

If you had asked me if I ever thought that I would be living in a world where basic human rights are being regulated, I would have laughed. This is a case that protects women. It is a case that protects our right to our body. 

Am I saying that everyone has to be on the same page with the morally controversial topic of abortion? No. What I am saying is that people should respect those who want to exercise their right to their body. Roe v. Wade does not mandate that anyone has to go and have an abortion. It is saying that everyone has the right to choose what happens to their own body. 

One argument I have encountered from people who are “Pro-Life” is that their religion does not support abortions and that is totally fair. However, there is a difference between practicing one’s religion and forcing that religion on other people. It is a First Amendment right to practice one’s own religion. It is not a right for people to force their beliefs on others and expect them to adhere to them. 

The right to an abortion has nothing to do with religion at all. It is a medical procedure that should be a right for women to have. At the end of the day, these are rights pertaining to women. They are rights pertaining to their bodily autonomy and no one should have a say in that but the woman herself. 

The overturning of this case does not necessarily mean that abortion is outlawed from the entire country and that one would have to fly to another country to have an abortion.

However, it is now up to each individual state to vote on the matter.

There are several states that have already voted to ban abortion: Idaho, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montanna, Arkansas, Texas, Louisianna, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Ohio has a six week gestational ban, meaning at 6 weeks the woman is no longer allowed to have an abortion. There are numerous states that have also made it 100% legal.

As of now, Michigan is a swing state and has a block on the ban. 

The overturning of Roe v. Wade could also affect LGBTQ rights and birth control. It opens the door for cases that used Roe as a foundation to be overturned. This could impact existing protections for same-sex marriage and access to birth control. 

As a country and a community, we should want and expect more from our government. We should be moving forward in protecting peoples’ rights, not backward. This country was founded on the prospect of freedom. I don’t know about anyone else, but as a woman and ally of the LGBTQ community, I do not feel free nor respected.

There are many ways a person can show their support for abortion rights. Voting is the primary way that someone can influence real change.

However, there are smaller things that have just as large of an impact. Signing petitions, donating to local organizations, attending peaceful protests, sharing your story, if you have one, and talking to friends and family to join the fight.