June 24th, 2022, Congress overturned Roe Vs. Wade decision giving back states the right to regulate their abortion laws. This means each state has the power to decide whether or not abortion is considered legal or illegal. This day was, and this decision is, an attack on women’s rights and was a huge setback for progress in the country. At least 7 states have already shown intent to restrict their abortion laws, and 13 states have banned abortions altogether. The revelation of these new laws has many women fearful for their futures and the rights of all women in America. Overturning Roe Vs. Wade goes beyond infringing on women’s rights. This ruling has set the precedent for other human rights laws to be stripped away. Something this pressing and relevant to today’s younger generation should be met with a pressing response. Women and men in every generation need to protect themselves and their rights by protesting against this overturning. 

The right to have an abortion is a right that every woman should have and is a right that women needed to secure for themselves. However, the lack of awareness as a society could make the fight harder for all women without even intentionally meaning too. It is jarring to realize many students, male and female, had no idea what this law even was or what it meant for the future of the country. Those who do, however, were passionate about their opinions on women’s and abortion rights.

Devon Perry, an AHS junior writes,  “The right to choose is one that is standardly considered a given for most Americans and the choice for an abortion shouldn’t be an exception.  To deny someone the rights to their own body is to deny them freedoms, and to put an unborn life over a human being with experiences, memories, and a place already carved out in the world is absurd.  Despite what some may say, over 80% of all abortions are performed within the first 9 weeks of a pregnancy; still well within the first trimester.  Although without interference most of these pregnancies would grow beyond that without the consent of the mother to raise the child it’s incredibly unfair to force its growth and birth, when there are so many reasons a woman can’t have or keep a child.”

Devon also speaks passionately on the dangers of misinformation and the value of knowing the truth before coming to any conclusions.

“Removing laws that protect a woman’s right will not stop abortions or tragedy, it will stop safe abortions where only one unborn life is lost as opposed to two, one of a fully developed and connected to the world woman.  People are willing to risk their own lives for treatment that should be accessible because the very, very few exploiting this aid shouldn’t be allowed to destroy the system for everyone.  It is a matter of the safety and freedom of everyone in America, and an issue that needs to be viewed from every angle, in order to properly understand this right and why the choice is essential to the safety of the nation.”

Students like Devon, who want to become more informed and change the world around them, will ensure better outcomes and solutions to all human rights issues, alongside the overturning of Roe V. Wade.

The overturning of Roe Vs. Wade will become a divisive and greatly influential  moment in American and women’s history. The American people and the rest of the world have to decide what side of history they want to be a part of and help make a change in this world. Young people need to become informed on issues like this that can greatly affect their lives and futures. By becoming more informed people will learn to help the issue instead of standing on the side and unknowingly letting others change the course of everyone’s lives.