Introduction
As a young woman of Indian descent living in the United States, I find that everything no longer
seems black and white. It’s difficult to believe that progress, especially in our country’s legal
system, is truly present. A topic that specifically changed American lives, especially women’s, is
the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In order to fully understand how this case, which was decided
on by the Supreme Court back in the early 70s, impacted American society, we must look back at
its origins. But some bigger questions arise when we discuss cases like these. Are we going back
in time? Are human rights really just for men? These questions will be explored in this article.
If you develop a different opinion than after you read this essay, then great, my work here is
done. But if you hold a differing opinion of me, both before and after reading this article, that is
totally fine; the best part about this country is that we are allowed to have different opinions. It’s
what makes the United States, well, the United States.
II. Roe v. Wade: What is it?
To understand why its overturning by the Supreme Court is so important and intriguing, we
need to see and understand what Roe V. Wade truly is. According to Britannica, The case began
in 1970 when ‘Jane Roe’—a fictional name used to protect the identity of the plaintiff, Norma
McCorvey (1947–2017)—instituted federal action against Henry Wade, the district attorney of
Dallas county, Texas, where Roe resided. The Supreme Court “disagreed with Roe’s assertion of
an absolute right to terminate pregnancy in any way and at any time.” Instead, it attempted to
balance what it regarded as a ‘fundamental’ right to privacy with the state’s ‘compelling’
interests in protecting the health of pregnant persons and the 'potentiality of human life’ [1]. The
original argument was about Attorney Wade’s interference in Roe or McCorvey’s personal
decision to get an abortion. However McCorvey ultimately never obtained the abortion; despite
winning her case, she gave her baby girl up for adoption. Abortion had officially become legal
and was considered a move so significant in the movement for women’s rights.
III. The Overturning
Roe V. Wade was suddenly overturned on June 24th 2022 and outrage had ensued as women
and men of America and the world were in shock. While the Supreme Court was arguing the
case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case about the constitutional right to
an abortion [2]. Protests across the country had commenced consisting of women and men
attempting to fight back against injustice. While this occurred, more conservative states quickly
went to work to ban abortion entirely in their respective states, leaving many pregnant women
without options. Pro-choice and pro-life became a sudden test in order to determine whether a
person should be considered good or not and the argument of my body, my choice started to
make headlines. Arguments made on TikTok and Instagram ensued. Influential Democratic
TikTokers like Dean Withers and Harry J. Sission grew massively popular [3] as Gen-Z women
started to relate to their opinions. Today, Dean debates with conservatives on the streets and
live streams them on TikTok while Harry posts daily updates on Trump administration activities
and political news, such as the recent leak of security plans via a group chat where someone
accidentally added Jeffery Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic [4].
IV. The Reaction
Protests occurred as previously mentioned in the above paragraph. As expected by most
conservatives and the predominantly Republican dominated Supreme Court, chaos ensued
when people found out about the repeal. Citizens of the US and the rest of the world were in
shock, looking at Washington. According to the Pew Research Center, in a poll conducted a week
after the repeal, 62% of Americans stated that abortion should be legal in all cases or most cases,
with younger demographics reacting more favorably [5]. In a USA Today article, celebrities had
also spoken out via social media, criticizing the Supreme Court for their “backward thinking”
decision, with former first lady Michelle Obama openly stating that she’s “heartbroken” [6] as
they all joined together, calling for change and more progress.
V. The Effects
In the wake of this decision, maternal mortality rates [7] have increased throughout the United
States but mostly in states where abortion was put on an immediate ban. More women who have
had an ectopic pregnancy, which is “...when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb,
usually in one of the fallopian tubes”, [8] have been dying as their OBGYNs (Obstetricians and
Gynecologists) are unable to, leading to preventable deaths. Roe V. Wade was always a
monumental decision. We had acknowledged its significance, but we truly never understood its
value until the right to bodily autonomy was taken away. Women are still protesting almost
three years later, but with a still dominantly Republican Supreme Court and the rise of MAGA
(Make America Great Again) after the 2020 election where Republican President Donald Trump
was beaten by Democratic challenger and former vice president Joe Biden [9]. Considering that
political atmosphere with a Democratic Legislative and Executive branch but a far right Judicial
branch, chaos was bound to occur.
V. Author's Opinion
Abortion was never seen as an important topic to me. Not because it’s just plain
unimportant, but because I had never actually heard of it.
As the daughter of two Indian immigrants who worked their entire lives just to provide me with
the best of the best, I tended to form my opinions based on what they believed, not just because
I felt like they were genuinely right, but because I could never believe them to be wrong. While
they did provide me with the best, they were overprotective, leading me to search up and
research about government and film and any other controversial topics one may be able to think
of. Because of this, I often brought up these topics at the dinner table and while my mom was
slightly annoyed by the debating between my dad and I, my dad fo und it fascinating that his
only child, his pride and joy, the child who would never dare to speak against him, was willing to
go against him in order to prove that she was right. Whenever my dad would point this out to
my mom, she always stated, “Like father, like daughter”, and then start to hilariously quote
every time my father would fight with her in order to prove himself as right, regardless of
whether or not he realized midway through the argument that she was right the whole time.
Now, cut to the dining table on June 24th, 2022. As my father passed the roti, a bread that most
Indians have with curries, to my mother, he mentioned the overturning. That whole day, I had
scrolled on TikTok, rotting in bed, sad about what my future would become, as I happen to
reside in the most southern of southern states, Texas.
For the first time in a while and to my mother’s shock, my father and I said the same phrase;
“What a shame.”
As I looked at him in shock, he looked at me with pity.
I realized something so extreme that changed my viewpoint forever; my father most likely
wouldn’t have cared. His view of me was so high, that he wished that nothing bad would happen
for me. I realized that he only cared because of me, not because he actually would be affected.
My father and mother are intellectuals and upper middle class.
As I finally realized the amount of privilege that I had and grew horrified, my dad and mom
spoke on their business.
That day, no fights occurred, just a thirteen year old realizing that her father, the person who
she considered to be a genius, only cared because she cared. As I excused myself and quickly ran
upstairs, scared that my parents would see my tears, I felt for the other girls, who didn’t have
parents, supporters for life.
The guilt of your parents’ sacrifices will always gnaw at you and mine did the most that day.
The next morning, as I walked down the stairs for breakfast, I saw my parents, already ready for
the day, making breakfast while singing “Badtameez Dil”, a song from the movie “Yeh Jawaani
Hai Deewani." Not everyone has that type of support system and on that morning I made a choice, a decision that probably altered my entire life from the path of a higher power made for me; I’m going to be a lawyer.
As I end this article, I leave you with this, let women choose what they want to do. Do not let
them die because your pride is getting in the way.
"The Right to Choose"
OPINION PIECE by: ANOUSHKA DUVVURI ✦ UNITED STATES