Roe v. Wade has been overturned and we are not OK
I was going to write about something else this week. Then I got a news alert on Friday morning that changed everything. It read "Roe v. Wade Overturned." I knew this could happen, but I guess I didn't think it actually would. I sat there in shock for a moment as I read the news, and then my mind began to flood with the potential repercussions of this ruling. As if women weren't already treated unfairly in terms of sexism within the workplace, harassment, underrepresentation in government, and positions of power, now we were being stripped of our right to make decisions about our OWN bodies. A right that women fought for AND WON in the early seventies. Instead of progressing towards making our country a place full of opportunity, equality, and healthcare for all, majority members of the supreme court (Five men and one woman) voted to take several steps back, more like a backward marathon allowing states to revert back to antiquated abortion bans which they can choose to restrict even further. As a member of the disabled community, I am beyond saddened to learn how this community will be affected by the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and utterly appalled that a group of mostly men was permitted to make a decision about women's bodies.
SHRUTI RAJKUMAR of NPR writes, "Though the court's decision will impact everyone, disabled people, especially those with multiple marginalized identities, will be disproportionately impacted for a number of reasons, such as health care inequities, sexual violence, poverty, and the loss of autonomy that they have historically experienced." Suppose you are unable to work because of your disability or simply cannot find work due to the bias that exists in our workforce hiring practices. In that case, you may be forced to live on a small government stipend and receive a basic government health insurance policy. This alone limits the amount of quality healthcare you have access to. Should you require an abortion for medical or personal reasons, your only option might be to travel to a state where this is legal. For many living with a disability, this may not be an option either physically or financially. You may also be surprised to learn that your Medicaid policy may not be accepted once you leave your home state. Not only will you need the funds to travel, but you may also need to pay for the medical procedure out of pocket.
If it scares you to read this, it should. Not only for those living with a disability but for everyone living in this country. This decision did not have the best interest of US citizens in mind. It was not made to protect babies and children, or focus would first be on improving maternal care and costs, providing free childcare, more support for single mothers, formula shortages, mental health programs, the foster care system, making adoption more accessible, etc. Instead, it creates a cycle that worsens all of the above and brings back the practice of unsafe, illegal abortions we thought we left behind in the 60s. With the current state of our foster care system and the giant hurdles required to adopt in this country, I fear we are not only taking away women's fundamental rights but causing serious damage to the already bare minimum government assistance programs in place.
Maybe you feel differently about what happened yesterday. I respectfully ask that you take some time to read more than just one headline before finalizing your opinion. If you are pro-life personally, that's ok, but that doesn't mean you get to decide what every other woman is. It means that you choose what is best for you. Don't we all deserve that? I have included some links below that provide information pertinent to women's rights and reproductive rights.
Abortion- How Roe v. Wade affects disabled people
