Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in The kNOw’s Fall 2019 print publication. To view the publication in its entirety click here for English or here for Spanish.
Growing up, my mom always told me that whatever I decided to do with my body was my choice. But I didn’t really understand what she meant until I started learning about women’s reproductive rights – or the lack thereof.
As I started hearing more and more about states like Georgia and Ohio’s newest abortion restrictions, my heart broke as I imagined how the women in those states must be feeling and what they have to go through in order to have an abortion. Depending on the state they live in, these women could travel anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours only to be denied access.
Men in the government have always tried to dictate what a woman does with her body and it makes my blood boil. They don’t understand how establishing these laws can truly affect women. Making abortion illegal doesn’t stop abortions from happening. All it does is lead to extremely unsafe “back-alley” abortions and the deaths of many women.
So whatever side of the abortion debate you fall on; whether you think it’s moral or immoral, whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, it is important that you know the real risks that come from outlawing abortion and why having freedom over her own reproductive rights is crucial for every woman.
