Co-authored by Reba Corrine Thomas and Erin York
Trigger warning: content includes brief mention of sexual abuse
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade set the precedent that the constitutional right to privacy “is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy” (Roe v. Wade, 1973).
Since then, Roe v. Wade has become known as the case that legalized abortion the United States at a time when nearly all states outlawed abortion except in life-threatening cases, instances of rape, incest, or fetal anomaly. The precedent set in this 1973 Supreme Court decision rendered laws banning abortion unconstitutional, which subsequently made abortion and maternal care vastly safer and more accessible to women and birthing people nationwide.
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the precedent set in Roe v. Wade, and the impacts on women and birthing people is troubling at the least; dehumanizing at worst.
Let’s Talk About Abortion
It is important to expand our purview of who we are including in the conversation around reproductive health. Saying reproductive health “only applies women” is a reductionist view. Not all women have the ability to reproduce— this does not invalidate their identity as a woman. Nor does it invalidate their needs for comprehensive sexual healthcare. Conversely, not all people who have uteruses who need reproductive health access define themselves as women. To expand our purview even wider— we absolutely need to bring penis-owners in to the fold of reproductive health conversations. After all, uterus-owners don’t become pregnant on their own; it does take two to tango. Which is how we know that overturning Roe V Wade is not as much about reproductive rights as it is about removing a specific subset of peoples’ bodily autonomy.
With the understanding that this decision purposefully targets birthing people, the danger comes with how indiscriminately this applies to specific instances of pregnancy— wanted or not. The conditions within which a person might want or need an abortion vary more than we have been socialized to understand. Even for people who may want to have children, the pregnancy might not be viable, like in instances of a septic pregnancy. Oftentimes the solution is aborting the fetus to save the life of the mother. Of course there are other situations that are much more harrowing: there have already been horrific implications for survivors of abuse— including that of a 10-year-old girl from Ohio having to cross state lines in order to get access to a safe abortion away from her abuser. To think that survivors like her who have already experienced the intense trauma imposed on them through that experience then have to endure legal ramifications and obstacles on their road to recovery is reprehensible.
These are just two of a plethora of situations in which abortion should be offered as a safe and viable option. It should be noted, however, that if a person wants an abortion for no other reason than they do not want/are not ready to bring a child into the world, that is reason enough. It’s detestable that a government has more say over an individual when it comes to a choice as intimate as birth, particularly given the flaws of the current systems in place to support families and the fact that maternal health in marginalized communities is declining with every passing year.
It begs the question: in a society that fails to protect it’s current citizens, what will happen in the span of a generation when the population increases due to an influx of new, potentially vulnerable citizens? A recently published report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has already confirmed that [women] in developing countries are already risking their well-being to support themselves post-pregnancy. From UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem:
“When nearly a third of all women in developing countries are becoming mothers during adolescence, it is clear the world is failing adolescent girls. The repeat pregnancies we see among adolescent mothers are a glaring signpost that they desperately need sexual and reproductive health information and services.”
Will the Supreme Court be as enthusiastic to pass legislation that supports these families with the resources needed to thrive as it was to force these families to exist? With growing inflation and continued lack of action, more than half of American citizenry’s well-being is at serious risk.
A Look Ahead: What’s Next?
This is the daunting picture we are painting as as a country if things continue to swing to the other extreme of this continuum which includes— but is not limited to: mandating abstinence-only sex-ed, restrictions on birth control, and regression around related civil rights movements like marriage equality. Our historically Puritanical ideals already put the U.S. in a compromising state: according to a 2021 article from the Guttmacher Institute,
“Research shows that federal abstinence-only funding does not lower adolescent birth rates. In fact, the more that state policies emphasize abstinence-only (commonly veiled as “sexual risk-avoidant”) programs, the higher the incidence of adolescent pregnancies and births.”
If this is true for historically well-resourced communities, it will become even worse for people who do not have ease of access to education around their options as it pertains to safety, sexual wellness and comprehensive healthcare. Even post-pandemic, when information and care are less-geographically bound than ever before, we are assuming that people have access to digital or virtual resources when this is simply not the case as a significant part of the American population does not have access to these resources.
Abortion & Reproductive Health
Even with the most proactive measures in place, having access to safe abortion and reproductive health care is instrumental and often means accessing these services in-person. This too is hampered by the recent legislation according to Guttmacher,
“The clinic closures resulting from state-level bans and restrictions in the wake of the June 24 decision will further deepen inequities in access to care as the addition of long travel distances to reach an abortion clinic in another state will be a barrier for many people.”
With no consistent or Federal oversight on impregnators, the responsibility inevitably falls on the people who carry these babies to term without the necessary resources to support them. This glaring disparity in responsibility further exacerbates who has a role in what happens once the pregnancy comes to term.
Tips for Sexuality Educators
“Our role as educators, (and healers, and holders of space for others’ sexual exploration) is more important than ever. It’s time to ground ourselves, roll up our sleeves, continue doing the work; and continue supporting others to do the same. This work is bigger than us.”
— Reba C. Thomas, CEO Sexpert Consultants LLC
Sexuality educators are now the catalyst for access to reproductive healthcare resources, our advocacy for reproductive healthcare and education is essential. Our platforms are now the essential sources of education and normalizing education about reproductive health and abortion. Here is how we can begin to move forward in a Post-Roe America:
Ground yourself with self-care. These are challenging times and you may find yourself experiencing anxiety, anger, and frustration as the consequences from these decisions unfold. Listen to your body and take care of yourself. Breathing, moving your body, connecting with others are all great ways to complete the stress cycle. Burnout is real and it is essential that we stay grounded.
Stay proactive, rather than reactive. Rather than just reacting with rage, let this be a call for you to be more proactive about using your platform to educate and provide access to local and national resources to support reproductive care. Volunteer at a local clinic. Teach free workshops about how to access birth control and safe abortion services. Educate yourself so that you can educate and advocate for your clients.