Roe V. Wade is a landmark Supreme court ruling in 1973 on abortion. It marked a significant victory for women’s and reproductive rights advocates. Prior to this decision, abortion was illegal, and women were forced to resort to a variety of often life-threatening methods to secure this procedure. Roe made abortion legal in the United States.
Women across the country celebrated the ruling. Following the case, the number of abortion related deaths significantly decreased. On June 24, 2022, the unthinkable happened. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Women no longer enjoy federal protections to choose an abortion, and abortion’s legality now rests with state legislatures. Many conservative leaning states are currently implementing restrictive abortion policies or banning the procedure altogether.
The fall of Roe v. Wade will significantly impact Black women. With limited access to healthcare resources and racial prejudice, it can be life-threatening for Black women to get an abortion in the United States.
“Women are going to die because of this decision,” said Sarah Stewart Holland, a Kentucky-based abortion advocate. “They’re going to be prevented from getting life-saving abortion care. They are going to seek illegal and dangerous abortions,” she added.
In addition, Black women have a higher risk of pregnancy-related death in the United States. According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related problem than white women. This is one of the ways in which the ruling adversely impacts Black women.
African American pro-choice and woman advocates took to the streets to show their outrage at the court’s ruling. More than 200 people protested outside the Supreme Court.
According to Michelle Webb, Chief Communications Officer at Black Women Health Imperative in Atlanta, Georgia, “Overturning Roe, putting the ability to restrict access to abortions in the hands of state governments, is just the latest in a long history of attacks on rights that disproportionately impact Black women.”
Research has also shown that women who give birth after being denied an abortion suffer significant post-pregnancy economic hardships. As a result, women of color will continue to suffer due to their socioeconomic status.
Many observers believe that the court’s decision reflects personal prejudices and opinions rather than what is best for woman’s rights.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a draft opinion. Alito also believes that the Supreme Court’s decision to allow abortion up to 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy was wrong in the first place.
Black women across the United States fear unwanted pregnancy even more after the reversal of Roe V. Wade. Due to the racial disparity among the medical workers, many Black women do not receive proper care and medical supplies during the birthing process. The battle over abortion now shifts to the states. While this is a victory for pro-life advocates, it spells doom and disaster, at least in the short run, for Black women who simply want access to safe abortions and the right to control their reproductive capacity.
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Previously published on Historian Speaks
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Elvert Barnes on Flickr under CC License