With the presidential election around the corner, women’s rights activists around the country have been speaking out about the effect the overturn of Roe v. Wade has had on women’s healthcare in hopes of electing a presidential candidate whose values include protecting women’s rights. As candidates continue to campaign, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have made it apparent where they stand on abortion.
At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Harris stated “When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States I will proudly sign it into law.” Conversely, the Trump campaign has highlighted its support for the abolishment of federal control of abortion access.
On April 8, Trump made a major campaign announcement of his views on IVF and abortion rights. In his announcement, Trump stated “I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of… Roe v Wade.”
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the monumental case that protected women’s constitutional right to an abortion. The overturning of Roe v. Wade left it to states to control the legality and accessibility of abortion. As of now, according to The New York Times, 14 states have fully banned abortion, and eight states have gestational bans, including Georgia. Currently, pregnant women living in one of the 22 states with limited access to abortion are at a high risk of experiencing dangerous medical conditions. According to The New York Times, states with abortion bans can allow exceptions in instances of rape, incest, if the life of the mother is at risk or if the fetus is facing deadly birth defects.
In an interview with the co-leader of the Paideia School Women and Wellness Club, Julia Beck ‘26, a feminist and abortion rights activist, shared her views on the overturning of Roe v Wade. “It is very scary for our future as women, and if this continues we will be regressing as a society,” Beck says. “The overturning of Roe v. Wade does not ban abortions, only access to safe abortions, which is why the overturning of Roe v. Wade does nothing but put the lives of women at risk.”
Beck’s concerns reflect a common fear many women have regarding how the upcoming election will affect their healthcare in America moving forward. The result of the election could not only determine the future of abortion rights in America but will also set the tone for how women’s rights will be handled over the next four years.
