Over the weekend the Supreme Court in the United States of America released a verdict on Roe vs. Wade. The court decided to overturn this 50-year-old case. With this decision, many people have started protesting, claiming that the court took away their right to abortion. In truth, the end of Roe vs. Wade did not do that, so what did the overturning of this case actually do?
First, we need to look at the Roe vs. Wade case. In January 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that states could not make abortion laws unduly restrictive. In essence, the federal government took away the ability of the states to make their own rules on abortion. Now, about fifty years later, the Supreme has overturned that original ruling.
Does this take away the right of women to have abortions? No. Roe vs. Wade took away the states’ ability to make their own laws on abortion. With its overturning, it allows states to again make their own laws, voted by their citizens, on abortion. Each state can decide the cut-off date for receiving an abortion. Some states may choose to allow abortions up to 41 weeks, while others may make the cut-off date earlier. The federal government does not have a say.
While many people may protest the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, claiming that the court took away their rights, that did not happen. Women can still receive abortions according to the laws of each state. No one took away any rights. Women still have the right to choose what to do with their own bodies.
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