From Celebrating Title IX to Overturning Roe – the Difference a Day Makes — Connecticut by the Numbers – Connecticut by the Numbers

by Sarah Klepack

The morning of June 24th was an unexpectedly dark day, as the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a constitutional right that has been in place since 1973, almost 50 years. 

Roe v. Wade gave the right to an abortion. Now that it has been overturned, states have the right to put restrictions on abortion or ban it completely, and some already have started to.  Mississippi was to challenge Roe v. Wade due to the Mississippi abortion law which declares abortions illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Supreme Court decided to hear Mississippi out. In May, a draft of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked, which led to the official announcement of the ruling being overturned on June 24th.

Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming all had trigger laws in place in the event that Roe v. Wade was overturned. Abortions will and are likely being banned in these states.  Alabama and Arkansas already have placed restrictions since June 24th. Abortion clinics there halted abortion procedures on June 24th.

 All of these states have different exceptions and limitations; however, some states, including Alabama, are prepared to title those who have abortions, and doctors who provide them as felons. Already the lives of millions of women, at least in these 13 states, are at stake.

Alabama, a state with trigger laws, will not consider rape or incest as exceptions to having an abortion, reported by the NY Times. This state will also be criminalizing women who receive abortions.  

There was an instance in 2015 in Indiana where a woman was convicted of feticide and felony child neglect after she self-induced her abortion, The Atlantic wrote. Her conviction was later changed to a lower child-neglect in 2016.  Some parts of the country have been and are ready to punish women and those who can have abortions.

“Today’s ruling is likely to impose particularly harsh burdens on those who already face the biggest challenges to accessing needed health care,” wrote the Connecticut Health Foundation on the day of the overturning.

The foundation was reassuring that nothing will change with abortion laws in the state of Connecticut, however. 

People of color, those in poverty, and many others are now faced with a greater health challenge. Abortion is healthcare. Being pregnant can often put a woman’s life at risk, and an abortion can be the safest option for the person who is pregnant.

Even more disturbing is that the day before the bill was overturned, it was the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. 

The anniversary was showcased in media coverage which emphasized the progress that women in sports have made. While males still receive more attention, funding, and coverage, women have come a long way in professional sports.

Roe v. Wade being overturned a day later belittles the accomplishments and successes of all women across this country.

“This is what America is all about: possibilities. Millions of women and girls have benefited from the change that Title IX helped make possible,” wrote US President Joe Biden in a statement on the 50th anniversary.

More women than ever are excelling in sports, technology, math, and more than ever before, according to Biden. Just a day earlier the country was able to celebrate and appreciate women’s accomplishments. 24 hours later, and some people have less bodily autonomy than a dead person.           

 Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court suggested that cases that protect gay marriage and sex, and the right to contraception be reconsidered.

“Because any substantive due process decision is ‘demonstrably erroneous’,” wrote Thomas.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade is causing fear that other laws that promote inclusivity and give many communities basic human rights will be overturned. With a Republican majority on the Supreme Court, this is an unsettling time.

The Democratic presidential candidates for years have dangled this fear that the Supreme Court would overturn the decision, over the heads of the Democratic party to continue to get funding, votes, and remain in power. Many women, and those who can become pregnant, agree that this is a war that will require a lot of fight.

However, this past Friday, Biden signed an abortion access executive order, and claimed it would restore some of the rights that were taken away when Roe v. Wade was overturned.

The order promises to set up clinics on the borders of states that restrict abortions, and provide pro bono lawyers to help people cross state lines to have an abortion.

While this order will protect many people, having proper healthcare should not be a challenge. Connecticut, fortunately, does not face these difficulties, but many in other states will have to travel for reproductive healthcare.

To get involved in helping those who are at risk of not have access to reproductive healthcare, donating to abortion organizations, and participating in protests are two of the ways to get started.

It is not illegal to travel to another state to have an abortion, or receive reproduction healthcare as of now. There are resources available to help those in need to travel to other states to safely get an abortion, especially with new abortion access order that was recently signed. 

There are many instances in which abortion is the safest healthcare option. Many fetuses die in the womb, many people will not survive pregnancy, and people may not be able to financially support a child.

From celebrating women one day, to removing a human right that affects many women and others the next day illustrates that the US does not honor and value women’s role in society. 

For those who live in states that have no abortion ban, it is heartbreaking for them to know that many others who can become pregnant are going to suffer and even die from this Supreme Court ruling.

“A group of unelected politicians masquerading as justices just eliminated a constitutional right that generations of women have known and relied on – the right to make decisions about their own bodies, to decide if and when to have children,” said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy the day of the ban.

The future of this nation is suddenly a scary place for many.

Sarah Klepack, a Connecticut resident, is a student at Endicott College.