Fighting for women’s rights AND what’s right: the modern day struggle of American Women

"Women have control over their bodies and reproductive rights".

This sentence is not true for the modern-day American woman.

Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, women across the U.S.A lost their right to choose an abortion, and individual states were given the power to enforce their own abortion laws. As a result, a wave of state-level restrictions were implemented and millions of women’s reproductive rights were either dramatically reduced, or culled completely. One-third of American women say that it is difficult to access abortion services in their state, with 2 in 5 nationally being unable to access abortion services at all (KFF, 2024; PBS 2023). 

It feels almost surreal to be discussing the challenges that American women continue to face when it comes to their reproductive rights and choices. Though America is known as “the land of the free”, the country seems to have made a troubling shift backwards in recent years by introducing abortion bans and restrictions. 

With the upcoming U.S. election on the 5th of November, this topic couldn’t be more timely. The outcome of this election will have a huge impact on women’s rights, making it a crucial moment for reproductive freedom in America. 

What is the Roe v. Wade case and why was it overturned?

In January 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that state regulation of abortion was unconstitutional (Britannica, 2024). The case began in 1970 when Norma McCorvey, dubbed as Jane Roe, challenged Henry Wade, who was the District Attorney of Dallas at the time.

Roe sought the absolute freedom and unrestricted right to an abortion at any time during pregnancy. However, whilst the Supreme Court did not agree with this, it developed a framework that considered the trimesters of pregnancy and the fetus’ ability to live outside of the womb. The Court ruled that the state could not interfere with a woman’s decision to have an abortion in the first trimester, and could only intervene in the second trimester if health concerns were present. Beyond this, the Court stated that owing to fetal viability outside of the womb at this stage of pregnancy, the state could permit or restrict abortions based on the pregnant woman's health or to protect fetal viability (Britannica, 2024).

But, in 2022, Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. This occured after Donald Trump appointed three Justices to the Court that were supportive of the Republican Party and Trump ideology (NPR, 2022). As a result of this political decision, made by 7 men and 3 women, abortion is no longer a constitutional right in America, despite 85% of Americans believing this form of healthcare should be legal (Brennan Centre, 2022; Planned Parenthood Action Fund, 2024).

Essentially, women in 1973 had more reproductive rights than women currently have in 2024, meaning despite 51 years passing by, America has regressed in terms of gender equality and body autonomy. 

Donald Trump calls himself the Father of IVF. If he wins the election, what will his proposed policies mean for fertility treatments and future reproductive rights?

As the viral clips on social media showcase, last month, Trump was speaking to an all-female audience when he pronounced himself to be the 'father of IVF', which has been coined as "bizarre" by both news-reporters and his opponent, Vice President Harris, alike (Sky News, 2024).

Despite this, Trump has previously taken credit for the overturning Roe v. Wade, claiming he was 'able to kill' the case (KFF, 2024; NBC, 2023). Such an overturning has had an immense ripple effect, and has raised concerns surrounding the future of other rights related to bodily autonomy and access to contraception.

Later in this interview, Trump spoke about a Senator, describing her as a 'fantastically attractive person'. The casual and irrerelevant reference to his approval of Katie Britt's appearance serves as a further nod towards Trump's inherent misongyny and sexist approach.

So, your guess is as good as mine, but it would be an understatement to say that the warning signs are already there when it comes to female healthcare and freedom in America under Trump's watch.

The saying ‘it is a man’s world’ has never rang more true. Trump says he will ‘protect women, whether they like it or not’, a statement that perfectly sums up the misogyny that pervades both Trump's persona and ideology, and threatens America's democracy and freedom.

References:

Brennan Centre for Justice, 2022. Roe v. Wade and Supreme Court Abortion Cases. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/roe-v-wade-and-supreme-court-abortion-cases

Britannica, 2024. Roe v. Wade. https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade

KFF, 2024. Abortion in the United States Dashboard. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/dashboard/abortion-in-the-u-s-dashboard/

NBC, 2023. I was able to kill Roe v Wade. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-was-able-kill-roe-v-wade-rcna84897

NPR, 2022. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending right to abortion upheld for decades. https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn

PBS, 2023. A year after fall of Roe v. Wade, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or restrictions. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-year-after-fall-of-roe-v-wade-25-million-women-live-in-states-with-abortion-bans-or-restrictions#

Planned Parenthood Action Fund, 2024. Roe v. Wade Overturned: How the Supreme Court Let Politicians Outlaw Abortion. https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion/roe-v-wade