What the Repeal of Roe v. Wade Really Means | Aldult Toys Blog

It is no secret that the abortion debate in the United States (if the arguments against it can be considered strong enough to be worth debating) has recently become extremely real and extremely ugly – very quickly. In reality, it all seems more like an eternal and ongoing attack than anything resembling a civilized debate.

In fact, one macabre event after another ultimately led to the unthinkable – an outcome that reproductive rights advocates around the world have, deep down, considered highly unlikely. Roe v. Wade has actually been overthrown. And that should come as no surprise, because This was never written into law As it could/should have happened, countless times. And it is a huge problem, a mind-blowing setback for women’s rights and for the world in general. Many cannot even imagine the real consequences of this disastrous turn of events.

First, a brief history lesson (herstory)

Roe v. Wade was a historic decision of 1973 of the Supreme Court of the United States in which it was held that the freedom of a pregnant woman to choose to have a abortion is a constitutional right. Ultimately, what the decision meant for people on the ground was that pregnant women had the right to an abortion during the first three months of their pregnancy. The decision overturned many federal and state laws. Abortion laws have fueled the eternal battle over women’s bodily autonomy.

Fast forward to 2022, almost fifty years later, and the United States Supreme Court, forcibly composed of Trump conservatives Amy Coney Barrett, “pro-life” candidate (just after Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s untimely death and just before the 2020 election), overturned that decision. Voila, a half-century-old legal precedent has fallen by the wayside.

What this means for reproductive and bodily autonomy

Now that the Court has overturned Roe, It is possible for states to ban abortions before 3 months. While the repeal does not automatically make abortion illegal throughout the United States, individual states are now allowed to decide whether to allow abortion.

Let’s break down the consequences so far, shall we? Thirteen states have “trigger laws” in place that allowed the abortion ban to take effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Other states had retained old laws that had been used to ban abortion before 1973, and there is little to stop those laws from coming back. Overall, 26 States (and it’s not over yet?) are currently taking steps to ban or drastically limit access to abortion. While some are considering banning abortion from the moment of conception, others are introducing a ban from 6 weeks.

In the days since the ruling, several bans have actually gone into effect, some of which have been blocked by the courts, at least temporarily. It’s worth noting that over the past decade, several states have tried to make abortion illegal. Some of these attempts have failed because they appeared to violate Roe v. Wade. But now? There’s nothing stopping them.

In short, this is a huge step backwards for women’s human rights. After all, reproductive freedom was one of the key goals of Feminism in the 1960s and 1970s.

It’s even better: just A day Before the decision was made, the same conservative majority on the Supreme Court repealed a 111-year-old gun law restricting the ability to carry handguns outside the home in New York State. Apparently, the Court ruled that measure unconstitutional. Go figure.

I suppose people with uteruses should take comfort in the fact that all states allow abortion “to save the life of the mother,” while a few allow exceptions in cases of rape or incest, which undoubtedly obliges a woman to prove her victimization. Oh, and most states have said they will not prosecute women for trying to obtain an abortion, they will instead target abortion providers and others who try to help women access abortion.

here is a collapse of abortion restrictions state legislatures have introduced or are expected to introduce.

“A monumental setback”

According to Guttmacher InstituteAbout 40 million women of reproductive age live in states where abortion will become more difficult to access.

UN human rights experts denounced the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States and called on President Joe Biden to take all necessary measures to mitigate its consequences. Calling the move a shocking and dangerous regression in human rights that will harm women’s health and lives, the experts said:

“What happened today in the United States is a monumental setback for the rule of law and gender equality. With the stroke of a pen and without any sound legal reason, the United States Supreme Court has stripped women and girls of the legal protections necessary to ensure their ability to live with dignity.”

Experts also noted that although the new restrictive legal landscape not reduce the need for abortions, it East guarantees to increase the number of women and girls seeking illegal and dangerous abortionsNot to mention that all of this will only further fuel the stigma around abortion, leading to abuse against women in need of care.

Already marginalized women are the first to be penalized, as always

The Court’s decision to strike down the constitutional right to abortion should, unsurprisingly, have a disproportionate impact on black women and other women of color. Why? Because they continue to face exorbitant costs and logistical barriers disproportionate to the resources available to them, while suffering from more health complications than average. In other words, it’s already harder for them to access reproductive health care than it is for everyone else, and they need it even more.

Black women might see a 33% increase in pregnancy-related deaths. According to the CDCBlack women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related complication than white women. In some parts of the country, this disparity is even more stark. report A study by the District of Columbia Maternal Mortality Review Committee found that blacks accounted for 90 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in Washington, D.C., while they accounted for only half of all births. Black women are also the most affected. significantly higher risk pregnancy complications and postpartum problems, such as preeclampsia and eclampsia.

THE historical racism fundamentals of the American health care system explain why pregnancy and childbirth are much more deadly for black people. They are often rejected, ignored and their concerns denied when seeking medical care. Black women also tend to lag behind in other areas Social determinants of healthsuch as housing, employment and socioeconomic status, all of which can have a significant impact on their ability to have safe and healthy pregnancies – and care for a child.women without resources or with low income represent 75% of patients who have had an abortion.

It should also go without saying (but it doesn’t) that the lack of accessibility to elective Abortions (not medically necessary) directly impact the most marginalized, racialized, and low-income women, making it nearly impossible to travel for an abortion, let alone support a child.

Women of color in the United States already live their lives in a country that does not value them or take their difficulties seriously. Their lives are dangerous enough without forcing them into a pregnancy that could kill them, harm them, and/or significantly impair their quality of life.

Take away

Bottom line: There is no doubt that while the most marginalized and racialized women in society are most affected by new abortion restrictions, all people with uteruses face a blow to their fundamental dignity, and all human beings face a severe blow to their overall integrity as a species. In my humble opinion.

But… there is always hope, my friends. Activists from all 50 states are currently generating a strong daily momentum in service of our collective rights in terms of reproductive justice. Perhaps you could also find a way to contribute to herstory. <3