The leaked document about Roe v. Wade has me on edge like most others (even though it doesn’t currently threaten me and my rights in the same way as it does others, because of my choice in partners). We are in quite a nationwide panic, with riots already happening here in nyc. I am glad the article touched upon precedent landmark decisions and what the overturning of Roe v. Wade means for the future. I’ve already seen discussion on this, specific to what it means to my own community as an LGBT person. Roe v. Wade is from 1937. If Roe v. Wade apparently could not hold enough weight and precedence in last 85 years to stand, how are we going to protect other laws that were recognized under the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment from being overturned, and the lives of millions of minorities threatened? Obergefell v. Hodges that decided the legality of same-sex marriage, was only in 2015. How soon are we to losing that? Southern states have already moved to make it a FELONY to be a transgender child or adult. You know what felons cannot do? VOTE!
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT TALK SURROUNDING ROE V. WADE MUST BE INTERSECTIONAL AND INCLUDE ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE UTERUSES, NOT JUST CISGENDER WOMEN.
Some people may tout Roe v. Wade as a right to religious freedom, completely ignoring the fact that it is infringing on the rights and values of non-Christian religions that allow and even require abortion under certain circumstances. The article also mentions Plessy v. Ferguson, which prohibited segregation under the idea of “Separate but equal” in relation to the overturning of Roe v Wade. This could all just be the start of huge steps backwards for our country in human rights and equal protections. How far will we let this go? If we do not fight back we are going to see future generations study this when learning American History,and ask us in shock “How did this happen?”
I want to highlight this quote from Rebecca Gompert: The main reason abortion is so controversial in the U.S.? “Because if you can prevent abortion, you can keep people poor, and when you keep people poor, you can control them.”
The video “Abortion Helpline This is Lisa”, highlights an argument that people who are anti-abortion use which is that they want to “save the children.” Those people are filled with cognitive dissonance and are spouting lies. They only “care” about the child until it is actually born. Anti-abortion laws disproportionately affect poor and black women. This only leads to more children in poverty, homelessness, and the already highly flawed foster care system. There are already millions of babies and children out there waiting to be adopted, why forcibly add more instead of taking care of the children already struggling in this country.
This was a great topic to end the semester on, a perfect way to connect back round to beginning of semester with bell hooks.
6 thoughts on “Dylan Dong Discussion 14”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hi Dylan,
This is definitely a great topic that encapsulates everything we’ve discussed. It involves racism, sexism, classism, patriarchy, and pretty much all forms of oppression. The discussion of abortion involves so much more than the procedure itself. As you said, it’s an issue of healthcare, childcare, poverty, and human rights. The current situation with Roe v. Wade poses a lot of questions and unknowns for the future of America. Either way it goes, the decision will have a lot of impact on our social and political future.
Hello Dylan,
I really appreciate your take on what the real rationale to banning abortions may be, not only on women but also as a society in its whole. There are already so many children that may not have a home or family due to lack of parents/parenting and so having that as an already large negative factor in our society today shows a lot, As far as who may be actually ready to have a child against those who may have to have said child forcibly.
It is so maddening that this seems overlooked within the abortion argument. Why are we refusing to take care of the children in need that already exist? It’s because anti-abortion has never actually been about the children. It is about controlling women’s bodies.
Dylan!
The structure of your post flowed so well, I really like how you highlighted the importance that the topic of abortion is intersectional. I also noticed how we went in a full circle! Maybe it was unintentional but it sure as hell relates to what’s going on now.
Hello Dylan I agree with you because I think this is good in a way because many raped girls will not bring unwanted children into the world and also being both children, the mother is inexperienced. However, with legal abortion, many women who did have consenting sex abort simply because they do not want responsibility, to continue an active sexual life without the commitment of being mothers.
Hey Dylan,
a really thought provoking point you made for me personally was the part where you mentioned “If Roe v. Wade apparently could not hold enough weight and precedence in last 85 years to stand, how are we going to protect other laws that were recognized.” Even if I think back, I never would’ve imagined our future regressing like this, almost like history is repeating itself.