Roe v. Wade During and After: The Meaning for Future Women

Abstract

In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a women using a fake name “Jane Roe” to have women’s abortions fall under the Fourteenth Amendment, making them protected under federal law. In the year of 2022, the same court overturned that ruling and there was chaos and violence in the streets. Giant mobs of supporters of the cause out celebrating while the amount of opposition was in strong numbers as well. Tensions were high in America. Riots and protests broke out in various states. The confusion the ruling caused amongst doctors, clinics and patients was enough to close places like these down permanently. The future may be looking grim but, there are still people who have a plan. We organizations and individuals doing things like performing operations in federal waters to where it isn’t technically illegal. This can highlight all the important and current moves being made within this particular women’s right.

    Introduction
The Supreme Court Case of Roe vs. Wade took place in 1973, between a women named Norma McCorvey who used the aliases “Jane Roe” to file a lawsuit against the District Attorney of Dallas, Texas, Henry Wade. The verdict of the case made it globally known the Constitution of the United States protects women’s right to abortion. The court ruled in a seven to two majority that women’s abortions fell under the Fourteenth Amendment. In the year of 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling. With this the government distributed the power of this decision to the states and fractured that unifying law. No longer do women have the support of the government and Constitution but, now this life decision is left in the hands if local politicians.

Before the Overturning of Roe v. Wade, 2017-2020

The verdict of the Supreme Court Case Roe v. Wade made way for abortion procedures to be performed up to the viability or as Google defines it, “the point at which a fetus is able to survive outside the womb.” Many states were legally allotted to create their own laws and terms keeping viability in mind while doing so. States such as Alabama, Kansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin etc. have agreed upon abortions being available up to 20 weeks before birth. While other states like Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregan, and Vermont have chosen to have absolutely, no gestational age restrictions. And still even more states have abortion available up to viability (24-28 weeks), this includes Arizonia, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The only two states with an abortion law unique to its individual state is Texas and Virginia. In Texas abortion is allowed up to six weeks before birth and Virginia has available abortion up to the third trimester.

After the case of 1973 a similar Supreme Court Case emerged in 2022, Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization. Dobbs was arguing that the Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization in Mississippi, was unconstitutional for banning abortions at the 15-week pregnancy mark under the Fourteenth Amendment. This brought the issue of abortion before the viability of the fetus back into the light and public opinions began to roar in response. Protests were held in multiple states to voice the opposition or support with the positive or negative verdict. In the state of Arizona, a women named Natacha Chavez decided to bring her 8-year-old daughter to the protest as an educational moment and it ended with the police tear gassing everyone. Opinions were voiced even within the U.K., with musical artists Billie Eilish, Meg Thee Stallion and Olivia Rodrigo publicly stating their opposition to banning abortions and ridiculing the Supreme Court Judges.

An interview obtained by Melissa Medera, founder of the online personal stories exhibit “ The Abortion Diary” with a girl she simply named C.G.C., paints a narrative for the listener of the journey C.G.C had to endure to get her abortion because, where she lived, Winchester, England, abortion was illegal. C.G.C. shares her thoughts and feelings during this time and says how sad she is that the people who may need an abortion could be fined or jailed for seeking one. She also states the government is supposed to care more about the people.

C.G.C., “Abortion Diary Entry 165: C.G.C., 20”, Interview by Melissa Madera, The Abortion Diary, June 2016, It’s not just me — The Abortion Diary 

Sourcing

C.G.C.

Melissa Madera

Created June 2016, connect others who can relate or empathize with her abortion experience story

Anyone willing to listen

The Abortion Diary

Audio Clip

Summary

I will use this clip in my project to highlight the measures women have to go through to get the medical attention they want and need. It paints a picture of what it could be like for these women all over the world not just Ireland and in situation possibly worst especially without support. This clip adds a mental visual image for the reader. You can see her and her family taking the journey using her words.

Outcome of the Overturn, 2022

A crowd grew right outside the Supreme Court building in June 2022, the day of the case. it would seem that neither side had a strategy to push when coming to voicing their opinions for the topic at hand. They both came out and held signs, chanted and shouted and even marched in some cases. Split reactions were displayed, the anti-abortion supporters were cheering and blowing bubbles to show their enthusiasm and excitement toward ending the legalization of abortion. The activists on the other side could have seen this as gloating. Perhaps the women’s right supporters would have felt differently had the verdict swung in their favor. It is also possible that the anti-abortion supporters feel that they are advocating the life of a “helpless” individual, and by this verdict they can celebrate for everyone. The Arizona Senate needed to call a recess due to a security issue after the verdict was reached from protests with potential to become riots. After the ruling there was some confusion as to what exactly the new laws would be for practitioners and patients alike.

Moving Toward the Future, 2022-Present Day

Immediately after the ruling some clinics across the nation experienced doctor’s resigning and places of business shutting down with no word on when or if they will be opening their doors again. Even with the fear of persecution and scrutiny gloomily ahead, different organizations and solutions are being created. One of which called PRROWESS, which stands for Protecting Reproductive Rights of Women Endangered by States Statues. With this, women who need or want an abortion are taken into federal waters to have the procedure done. This is a grey area so to speak. They aren’t technically doing anything illegal. It seems the choice had been taking away with states like Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi putting strict bans on abortions.

Another logical solution for the future is the pill. A pharmaceutical company that makes abortion pills, Draco Laboratories, is bound to see an uptake in sales now that the public doesn’t have access to a traditional abortion procedure. A spokesperson from Draco stated, “The company has a plentiful and steady supply of Mifeprex.” He also states, “Draco is steadfast in our commitment to assuring that healthcare providers and women have access to Mifeprex as an option for safe and effective early abortion.” This makes it clear the company has no plan of altering or slowing down production in any way. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion policy group, more than half of the abortions in the United States are because of the pill method. A study done by the same Guttmacher Institute shows that 29% of the family residency programs were in states with banned or restrictive abortion laws. Residency Programs as google defines it are ” supervised training programs for medical professionals to gain hands-on experience and develop specialized skills in their chosen field.” Now is the time for residency programs to provide training for all around pregnancy care.

Gender Analysis

We cannot pretend the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade doesn’t have a stronger effect on women more than it does men. Abortions seem to have a lasting physical and/or mental impact for women who go through the procedure. This is merely one of the reasons this decision has a greater effect on women. Roe v. Wade being overturned caused an outcry in the United States. Some males may have supported the notion of “her body her choice” purely out of loyalty to a mother, friend, sister or partner. Women’s chances of becoming the patient who needs or wants an abortion is high but, due to this overturning it won’t be legal in the future. And lastly, of course females are the only creature who possess the ability to produce life and now the choice to decline that route isn’t an option for certain individuals. There is no denying that the issue of abortions falls into the category of Women’s Rights.

Histography

The Supreme Court ruling to Overturn Roe v. Wade in June of 2022 will forever go down in history as a loss for Women’s Rights. Though it does seem like a negative now the activists and supporters can rally together to have the opportunity to change history, again. The protests allowed the public to hear the voice of the unheard. Spoken with passion. This will be a starting point for organizations such as PRROWESS to flourish and gain more support as well. The tension and conflict this specific topic caused within the United States will never be forgotten.

References
• C.G.C., ‘The Abortion Diary Entry 165: C.G.C., 20’, Interview by Melissa Medera, The Abortion Diary, June 2016, (It’s not just me — The Abortion Diary)

• Article, ‘Supreme Court Rules on Abortion: Thousands Protest End of Constitutional Right to Abortion’, Written by The New York Times, Published by The New York Times, June 2022, (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/24/us/roe-wade-abortion-supreme-court)

• Journal, ‘Implications of Overturning Roe v Wade on Abortion: Training in U.S. Family Medicine Residency Programs’, Study done by Sarah Wulf, Kanita Vinekar, Christine Deblendor, Judy Steinauer, and Diana R. Caravajal, Published by Annals Of Family Medicine, November/December, 2023, (http://www.annfammed.org/lookup/doi/10.1370/afm.3042)
• Article, ‘Where Abortion Stands by State-With and Without Roe.’, Written by Kaia Hubbard, Published by U.S. News and World Report, May 6, 2022, (https://web-p-ebscohost-com.proxy.ulib.csuohio.edu/ehost/delivery?sid=3a3df729-4c95-4c19-aa99-6d88c1dba1a9%40redis&vid=2&ReturnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fweb.p.ebscohost.com%2fehost%2fdetail%2fdetail%3fvid%3d1%26sid%3d3a3df729-4c95-4c19-aa99-6d88c1dba1a9%2540redis%26bdata%3dJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%253d%253d)

• Journal, ‘Murky Waters: Exploring the Future of Criminal law Liability in State Territorial Waters off the American Coast in Light of the Overturning of Roe v. Wade’, Written by Jessica R. Davis, Published by Iowa Law Review, March, 2024, (https://web-p-ebscohost-com.proxy.ulib.csuohio.edu/ehost/delivery?sid=3a3df729-4c95-4c19-aa99-6d88c1dba1a9%40redis&vid=10&ReturnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fweb.p.ebscohost.com%2fehost%2fdetail%2fdetail%3fvid%3d8%26sid%3d3a3df729-4c95-4c19-aa99-6d88c1dba1a9%2540redis%26bdata%3dJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%253d%253d)

• Article, ‘Nationwide protests go on as supporters and opponents of abortion rights map next moves’, Written by NBC News, Published by NBC News, June 26, 2022 (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/nationwide-protests-go-supreme-court-strikes-roe-v-wade-rcna35363)