Roe v. Wade being overturned would not be for the better

Abortion has been a hot topic for as long as we can remember, but the leak that the Wade v. Roe decision will be overturned is not good news. And while the bid to overturn the bill has been defeated, for now, it would be shocking if this doesn’t come up again and again.

The option to access a legal abortion, in our opinion, is a necessary thing and it makes it safe for any woman who wants to get one. Banning abortion will lead to many unsafe ways of getting abortions, and while this is only happening in the States, there are plenty of politicians in this country that would advocate for similar laws here, in a heartbeat.

We respect a woman’s right to choose and even if you’re staunchly against abortion, you have to at least admit people should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies — and to do it in the safest possible way. Even if abortion was deemed illegal in Canada or the U.S., this does not mean abortions would just cease to happen.

It is an inconceivable notion to be forced to become an organ donor after death, regardless of whether or not a deceased person’s organs would save countless lives or further research to develop life-saving treatments. In this respect, we must afford women the same bodily autonomy as corpses.

You have no idea why a woman might choose to have an abortion, and really it’s not any of your business why she might. There are plenty of reasons women may opt to have one. The event that led up to the pregnancy could have been traumatizing — and in cases of rape or incest, abortion may be the first choice. Abortion remains a treatment for many medical conditions, including ectopic pregnancy, a septic uterus, and for already-traumatic miscarriages the body will not release.

If these treatments are not safe and accessible, people will die. You don’t have to like abortion, but having respect for people’s rights and not judging others for getting one in the safest manner possible should be top of mind. We’re not saying pro-life is bad either — if you truly believe in that, we’re not here to tell you you’re wrong by any means. Just like we think women should have a right to do what they want with their bodies, we also believe you should be able to use your freedom of speech — whether you are pro-choice or pro-life. But in the case of banning safe abortions, we don’t see how that will benefit anyone. This is basic human right that should be widely available to all women.

Outlawing safe abortions will not eliminate abortions, it will not diminish the demand for equitable access to these services, and it will not function as a “life-preserving” policy, if the people seeking these services, for any reason, cannot access them safely.