ABSTRACT
The reproductive rights and bodily autonomy of women, transgender, and nonbinary people remain a central theme in US social and political discourse. Gains in women’s rights and gender equity can be mapped to Title IX, the law that addresses gender equity in education and Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that made abortion access the law of the land in the United States in 1973. The fundamental consideration in Roe v. Wade is one of the right to privacy, a legal concept that is the foundation for many other civil rights protections. Hard-won progress by pro-choice and women’s rights organizations is at risk as a leaked Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was published in April 2022. As of this writing the Court’s decision has not been published but, if final, this decision would open the floodgates for states across the country to ban abortion. The consequences of this impending Supreme Court decision will be swift for communities nationwide: overturning Roe means 26 states could swiftly move to ban abortion –including 13 states with laws that could immediately go into effect. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Americans, 80% according to a Gallup poll, believe abortion should be legal in some cases. In this chapter, we explore issues surrounding abortion including when personhood begins, government funding for abortion care, late-term abortion, bodily autonomy, and mental health considerations.
