Whilst women’s rights to access legal abortion started to be protected through Roe v. Wade case, it is again being challenged in Mississippi, United States of America.
By: Siwon 8.2
A picture of the White House in Washington, D.C., United States of America.
Roe v. Wade was a decision of the US Supreme Court in 1973, in which the Constitution of the United States would protect a woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without governmental restrictions. Whilst many claims that this decision is necessary for the sake of women’s rights, it also has been prompting many debates regarding ethical and religious aspects.
To see how this decision was made, the case of Jane Roe, a pseudonym to protect her identity, in 1973 should be discussed. In 1969, a Texan woman Norma McCorvey wanted the abortion of her third child. As abortion was illegal in Texas at that time, she sought illegal clinics but could not find one. After a while, she met two female lawyers, Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, who were against the restrictions on abortion. These three women visited the local court and argued against Henry Wade, the local district attorney, stating that changes in the existing abortion law are vital to enhancing women’s rights. The judges ruled in Roe’s favor, and this issue was discussed in the national court as well, leading to greater changes.
From these changes, the current abortion law includes diverse regulations depending on the pregnancy phase. In the first three months of pregnancy, only the pregnant woman and her physician can make the decision of abortion. In the second three months, the state may impose restrictions on abortion that are related to maternal health. In the third three months, as fetal viability develops, the state may prohibit abortions entirely. Every state in the United States now has at least one abortion clinic.
The alterations in the detail of the abortion law in the United States is still ongoing nowadays. In May 2021, the Supreme Court agreed to review the lower court’s decision to strike down a Mississippi state law, adopted in 2018. This decision by the conservative Mississippi lawmakers included the prohibition of most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy, before the point of fetal viability.
As long as societies and families exist, the continuation of this debate would be inevitable, and the history along with the cases like Roe v. Wade would be repeated.
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