ABORTIONYOUR RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?•IN ROE V. WADE, THE SUPREME COURT RULED ABORTION IS LEGAL•THIS HAPPENED IN 1973? •WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT

IT’S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT•ROE V. WADE DID ESTABLISH THAT ABORTION IS A LEGAL

PRACTICE•HOWEVER, THEY INCLUDED RESTRICTIONS•AND A VIABILITY CLAUSE, WHICH COVERS THE FETUS’S ABILITY

TO SURVIVE OUTSIDE THE WOMB• THEY DID NOT STATE WHEN A FETUS IS VIABLE . THE MOST

ACCEPTED VIEW IS AT 28 WEEKS, BUT THE COURT DID ACKNOWLEDGE IT CAN HAPPEN AS EARLY AS 24 WEEKS

VIABILITY•IF THE COURT DID NOT ESTABLISH WHEN THE FETUS

CAN SURVIVE ON ITS OWN, WHO GETS TO DECIDE?•THE ANSWER IS NOT CLEAR

RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK• “I THINK IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO GET AN ABORTION IN THE COUNTRY TODAY”• CAROL TOBIAS, PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT

WORKS TO RESTRICT WOMEN’S ACCESS TO ABORTION

• SINCE 2010, MORE THAN 200 MEASURES THAT RESTRICT ABORTION HAVE BEEN PASSED IN 30 STATES• 9 STATES BAN ABORTION AT 20 WEEKS, A VIOLATION OF THE VIABILITY

THRESHOLD• 9 STATES FORBID PRIVARY HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES FROM COVERING

MOST ABORTIONS• THAT MEANS INSURANCE YOU BUY ON YOUR OWN CANNOT COVER ABORTION

• SOURCE: “ACCESS TO ABORTION FALLING AS STATES PASS RESTRICTIONS” NYTIMES.COM 3 JAN. 2013

RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK• “IF IT'S A LEGITIMATE RAPE, THE FEMALE BODY HAS WAYS TO TRY TO SHUT

THAT WHOLE THING DOWN. ”• 2012 –TODD AKINS, SIX-TERM MEMBER OF HOUSE OF REPSENTATIVES AND

CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE. HE LOST, THANK GOD.

• “IF BABIES HAD GUNS, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABORTED. VOTE PRO-LIFE!”• 2013 –STEVE STOCKMAN, MEMBER OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

• "BEFORE, WHEN MY FRIENDS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AISLE HERE TRIED TO MAKE RAPE AND INCEST THE SUBJECT -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE INCIDENCES OF RAPE RESULTING IN PREGNANCY ARE VERY LOW“• 2013 –TRENT FRANKS, MEMBER OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WHAT CAN I DO• EDUCATE YOURSELF• ACLU.ORG/NOTSTUPID• PLANNEDPARENTHOOD.ORG

• BECAUSE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE IN A FEW YEARS• THEN VOTE. THE PEOPLE QUOTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WRITE AND

VOTE ON LAWS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. DO NOT LET SOMEONE LIKE THAT REPRESENT YOU. GET INFORMATION ON PEOPLE RUNNING FOR STATE OFFICE. MOST OF THE LAWS ARE PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL• IF YOU HAVE MONEY, DONATE• PLANNEDPARENTHOOD.ORG• ACLU.ORG

Thesis Statement from my Synthesis EssayBecause laws that restrict access to abortion strip an individual’s right to make decisions regarding her own body, supporting them places the future of democracy in jeopardy.