Throughout time, people with a female-assigned reproductive system have had to continuously fight for their right to essential reproductive healthcare, education and resources.
Reproductive rights could include an individual’s choice to have a family or to not, to terminate a pregnancy, to use contraceptives, to have access to reproductive healthcare and sex education.
As of recently, people have been reminded that the fight for basic human reproductive rights still continues in the year 2020 all over the world.
In the United States, the worry that the Roe v. Wade case which took place in 1973 and led the U.S. Supreme Court to protect a person’s choice to have an abortion without government excessive government restriction, is at risk of being overturned.
In many states, abortion is legal due to the 1973 ruling but has state restrictions that make access much more difficult for those looking. These restrictions usually have a waiting period, a certain time frame in which the procedure has to be done by, a parental notification which requires a person under the age of 18 to inform their parents about their decision, and some insurance restrictions as well.
States with extreme restrictions like Louisiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio passed “heartbeat” bills, which restrict abortions after six to eight weeks of pregnancy when doctors usually begin to detect a heartbeat.
Louisiana voted on Election Day to amend the state’s constitution expressing that the state offers no protections for a right to and the funding of abortion. This amendment states that if the Roe. v. Wade ruling is overturned, then Louisiana has stated they will become a pro-life state completely banning access to safe abortions.
Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh is highly in favor of banning abortion and encourages states to pass more legislation based on pro-life fundamentals.
It is also a worry for many pro-choice individuals that newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a highly conservative Republican, would also add into the vote to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Although she has not addressed the controversial topic, her religious views and previous rulings hint toward how she may vote in the case to overturn the ruling.
President Donald Trump has vowed to appoint Justices who are in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, which would become dangerous for millions of people.
With the high restrictions in many states, some people may have to drive across state lines to receive a safe abortion in which they do not have to have to tell their parents, or can even afford it.
A study done by UCSF shows that 38 percent of women do not even know where to go for an abortion and 65% cannot afford the cost of one.
Without safe access to abortions, this leaves people with little options, which sometimes results in at-home abortions which are highly unsafe.
Along with the fight against abortion, access to free and affordable contraceptives is also at risk.
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a coverage that allows most people access to affordable healthcare, millions of people were denied coverage for insurance and would have to pay for preventative health care such as breast cancer screenings, basic check-ups and birth control which could cost hundreds of dollars.
Planned Parenthood, a health care providing organization that provides sex education and reproductive health care to millions of people throughout the world, is working toward spreading awareness to protect the act and other laws that support basic human reproductive health.
The U.S. isn’t the only country suffering from a reproductive health crisis, but nationwide.
One of the more recent happenings on abortion occurred on Oct. 28, where abortion was banned almost fully in Poland, a decision which cannot be appealed.
This has caused massive protests from people demanding change and reform, something that is also seen in the U.S. especially as of recent.
Reproductive rights are often seen as political issues but many people feel that providing basic health care to millions of individuals across the nation shouldn’t be political.
