Should Abortion stay legal in all U.S. States? Abortion is a medical or surgical procedure that ends a pregnancy (Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints in Context). Although the procedure has been legal in the United States since 1973, it has been a highly controversial issue on whether the law granting the legalization of abortion should be overturned, modified, or to remain the same (Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints in Context). A woman’s right to determine when, how, and if she will give birth, are commonly known as reproductive rights (Reproductive Rights: Opposing Viewpoints in Context). Whether she be poor or rich, a minor or an adult, a citizen or not, a woman should have the right to make decisions regarding her own body. If the government were …show more content…
Wade law to legalize abortion, the people who were against the verdict were known as “pro-life” and the people who supported the verdict were known as “pro-choice” (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). NARAL Pro-Choice America is the leading advocate of access to safe and legal abortions, effective contraceptives options, and quality reproductive health care (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). It was founded in 1969 in New York City by Betty Friedan, Larry Lader, and Bernard Nathanson (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). The organization was originally known as the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws in which the organization opposed laws that prohibited abortion (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). After the passing of the Roe v. Wade, the organization changed its name to the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). In 2003, NARAL changed its name to NARAL Pro-Choice America with headquarters in Washington, D.C. (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). The mission statement of NARAL Pro-Choice America is to develop and sustain a constituency that uses the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancies, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion (NARAL Pro-Choice America: ABC-CLIO). Although millions of people in the United States are “pro-choice”, many other people are “pro-life”. For a reference regarding the opinions of abortions in the United States, please refer to Appendix
In contemporary America it can be argued that nothing is more contentious and controversial of an issue than abortion. From the vehement pro-life movement to the impassioned pro-choice coalition, this policy issue is one that has become increasingly important in our society. This debate has raised important questions regarding the value of human life, at what stage of development does a fetus have it’s constitutionally ensured rights take hold over that of the mother and at what stage can a state start regulating abortions.
The issue of abortion is one of the most controversial topics of our time, but recently the amount of public interest has grown exponentially. A number of bills regarding this policy issue such as Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 and Child Interstate Notification Act have both greatly influenced the public’s opinion of abortion. Although, the issue of abortion hasn’t always been like this; according to Timeline of Abortion Laws and Events, an article from the Chicago Tribune, “The earliest anti-abortion laws were intended to protect women from untrained abortionists.” (Timeline) Since the 1973 passing of the Supreme Court Case, Roe V Wade, women have been able to obtain the abortion procedure in all 50 states, 46 of which were
Since the 1960s, the fight to receive accessible and affordable abortions has been a largely controversial issue in the United States. The case Roe v. Wade was the climax of that fight, for “the Court held that... only a pregnant woman and her doctor have the legal right to make the decision about an abortion” (“History of Abortion”). Although Roe v. Wade ultimately made abortions legal in the States, there are still setbacks for affordable and accessible abortions today, and many of these conflicts may be directly traced to state-by-state determination of abortion laws.
With repeated threats from Congress to defund Planned Parenthood and multiple states passing restrictive laws, reproductive rights—and abortion in particular—continue to be increasingly under attack in the United States. In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that “a woman’s choice whether to have an abortion is protected by her right to privacy” and that any restrictions on that right must be under “strict scrutiny.” This means that by law, women have the right to get abortions without facing unnecessary restrictions. According to Roe v. Wade, the only time the government could enforce restrictions on this right was when there is a “compelling state interest” to do so.
Women’s reproductive rights have been endangered from early history. A woman’s job included housework and child birth. Around 1920, women started receiving their choices and rights. In the 21st century, women are looked at with fairness and receive equal opportunities, but there is one right being stripped from women: the choice of using birth control and aborting pregnancy. Society frowns upon aborting a fetus in the womb, but it fails to realize the circumstantial standing each woman is placed in and should accept the decision a woman decides for her future whether it is to use birth control or abort her pregnancy.
Abortion is a hot topic in United States politics as of late, and rightly so. Though religion, costs, maternal psychological damage, and societal morality are often cited as reasons to oppose abortion, a woman’s right to make her own decisions should always prevail. Abortion should be nationally legalized during the first trimester of pregnancy because Roe V. Wade has declared abortion a “fundamental right” to women, fetuses are incapable of feeling pain during the period when most abortions take place, women should be given the right to choose what happens with their body, and access to legal abortions decreases the
“Birth control will make parenthood a voluntary function instead of an accident as it is today. When motherhood and childhood is free, we can go hand in hand with man, to remake the world, for the glorification as well as the emancipation of the human race.” In the debate between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell in 1920 the heated issue of birth control legalization was being argued. Sanger, an influential supporter of birth control and women’s rights, was the founder of the eventually named company Planned Parenthood. Her sole goal was to provide women with contraception and birth control pills in order to protect them from unwanted pregnancies. Russell, however, believed that women using such methods was both unchristian and selfish.
Abortion is a controversial topic that has plagued the country for decades. Even after the 7-2 Supreme Court trial (Roe vs. Wade) made it legal for women to choose to get abortions. This decision was based off the right of privacy coupled with the agreement between the woman and the state. Due to this decision abortion rights vary from state to state, in fact, about 85% of United States counties do not provide abortion services. Even though, abortion is ten times safer than the actual process of giving birth and 68,000 women died from resorting to “back-alley abortions.” Knowing all this, there are still two main groups arguing
The reproductive rights of women have always been a hotly debated topic between those who support a women’s right to an abortion and those who vehemently oppose it. The United States Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Roe vs. Wade that it was legally a woman’s right to have an abortion in 1973, and clearly outlines that states “cannot pass laws that create an undue burden” for women who choose to exercise their rights and terminate their pregnancy. Since then, there have been consistent challenges from many states along with pro-life organizations all over the country to find ways to limit and to control the reproductive rights of women. In 1992, even though the ruling of Roe vs. Wade was confirmed in the case of Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, the Supreme Court also ruled that states can create regulations to limit abortions in order to protect the safety and health of the mother and the life of the unborn fetus. The outcome has resulted in several traditionally conservative states including Arkansas, Texas, North Dakota and Indiana passing laws that are cleverly disguised as rules to protect women, but ultimately makes it extremely difficult if not all together impossible for women to seek a legal abortion.
The right of a women to control her reproductive decision is highly debated in the US because of the idea that abortions, to some people, are considered murder. A woman’s ability to make reproductive choices is a fundamental right protected by the
For many years, abortion has been a controversial issue that has led the American government to attempt to solve, what seems to be, an everlasting debate. In 1973, the Supreme Court case “Roe v. Wade” ruled that it is a fundamental right to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability. It was believed to protect the woman’s health and the potential life of the fetus. This case verdict also prohibited states from banning abortion and ruled that it is a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy.
Reproductive rights are best defined as “having the ability to decide whether and when to have children” (statusofwomendata.org). Carrie Chapman Catt would argue that it is not in fact the government’s business as to whether a mother can have an abortion or not, because it is the mother’s body at the end of the
The topic of women’s reproductive rights has become a major, controversial issue in today’s society. Grounded in a history of opposition for religious, political, and moral reasons, reproductive rights have only legally been around for a short period of history. Specifically, the landmark case Roe v. Wade was the major stride that this country took towards enforcing women’s reproductive rights. The ruling for this case determined that reproductive rights are legal rights women hold, inclusive of the right to have abortions. However, many laws today are made in an effort to prevent abortions, acting as “undue burdens” that aim to create obstacles for women who seek this type of medical procedure.
Throughout history and prevailing to modern times, abortion has proved to be one of the largest controversies in America. There are two main stances on abortion: pro-life and pro-choice. People who are pro-life believe that abortion is inhumane and should not be conducted. On the other hand, ones who are pro-choice support and work towards reducing abortion, preventing unwanted pregnancies, educating women and the youth, promoting contraception, and guaranteeing that families have the obligatory resources to raise fit children. Although the pro-choice movement is heavily supported by women and men who believe in reproductive freedom and abortion as a fundamental human right, recent changes and lack-there-of in the U.S. government considering abortion laws have proved America to be ambiguous on their stance on abortion as pro-choicers are constantly fighting for their rights.
For hundreds of years, women have been fighting for one basic thing; women want to be equals and have the rights to their lives and bodies. Women have been fighting for the right to own property, to vote, to have equal pay and to have reproductive rights. While each has been a struggle, reproductive rights are one of the most controversial, argued topics. It is more widely accepted for men to walk away from a pregnancy, but women do not have the same option without being hassled at every turn. Whether agreed on morally or not, a woman should have a choice in having an abortion or carrying to the point of viability, meaning when a fetus can sustain life outside the womb.