By Karla BradleySpecial To the Chronicle
On Jan. 22, the 41st anniversary of Roe v Wade was celebrated by women and men across this country. Although this anniversary came and went while most Hofstra students were on break, the importance of Roe v Wade does not end with the passing date.
It was a landmark case that won women the right to safe and legal abortion, as a result of the court’s decision that politicians should not interfere with a woman’s personal medical choices.
Unfortunately, this case is being chipped away at once again by politicians who have no understanding of the complex reasons that could possibly contribute to a woman’s decision to get an abortion.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 200 restrictions on abortion access have become law since 2010, and 53 of those were passed just this last year. These restrictions are being passed in the sneakiest ways possible: through votes in the middle of the night, special sessions and procedural loopholes.
Think the right to a safe and legal abortion is safe? Think again.
Abortion is a deeply personal decision that is between a woman, her family, her doctor and her faith. While many people feel conflicted about the morality of abortion, it is important to remember that we are not in those women’s shoes, and we do not have the right to make that decision for them.
Women should be provided with accurate information that should be given without the intent of coercing, shaming, or judging them. Every situation is unique, and ultimately, the decision to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or a raise a child should not be decided for women by politicians.
Young people have energized the movement to keep abortion a safe and legal option for women. On our own campus, Hofstra students in the organization Student Advocates of Safe Sex [SASS] volunteered with Planned Parenthood to inform voters in Albuquerque of a 20-week abortion ban, which contributed to a decisive 10-point defeat of the ban.
Women should be able to have control over their bodies and determine when they want to start a family. Young people are working to protect that right and have made it clear that they will not sit by idly while politicians determine whether or not women should have access to the full range of reproductive health services.