Politics and Current
Politics explained: How Trump’s attacks on abortion rights have impacted black women
Abortion stays probably the most divisive voting issues this election season, dividing the country along racial, political and non secular lines. Depending on November’s final result, the long run of abortion access could change dramatically, threatening women’s health and safety.
In this week’s episode of “Politics Explained with Natasha Alford,” we take a look at how the rollback of abortion rights has impacted Black women.
The tragic case of Amber Thurman
Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old mother from Georgia, tragically lost her life consequently of a routine medical procedure after taking abortion pills. Thurman sought help at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, Georgia, after she had a rare response to pills that did not remove all fetal tissue from her body. A D&C or dilation and curettage procedure could safely solve this problem.
However, newly passed laws in her home state of Georgia forced medical staff to delay intervention, and by the point doctors provided help, it was too late. Thurman’s family is now in mourning requiring answersdrawing attention to the broader threats posed by restrictive abortion laws. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is representing the family and demanding accountability from doctors on the hospital.
The case of one other black woman, Kaitlyn Joshua, shows that even when a lady intends to keep up her pregnancy, an abortion could also be vital.
Joshua, a wife and mother, recently testified on the Democratic National Convention that when she had a miscarriage and sought hospital treatment, she was taken from two emergency rooms in Louisiana.
“Because of Louisiana’s abortion ban, no one could confirm that I had a miscarriage. I felt so much pain and bleeding that my husband feared for my life,” Joshua explained. “No woman should experience what I did, but too many have.”
Legal Background: The Failure of Roe v. Wade
In June 2022, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization invalidated the constitutional right to abortion, overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that had guaranteed legal abortion since 1973. The ruling returned power to individual states, allowing them to set their very own rules. regulations regarding access to abortion.
This change in power led many states to impose strict restrictions, and in some cases abortion became almost unattainable. In some states, medical professionals are very limited of their ability to assist patients in search of an abortion. For tens of millions of women, especially in states with strict regulations, these barriers put them at greater risk of complications and even death.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade traces its roots to the nominations of three conservative justices – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – under former President Donald Trump. These appointments modified the balance on the Supreme Court, giving conservatives a 6-3 majority. As a result, the court ordered the overturning of nearly 50 years of precedent protecting abortion rights on the federal level.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, nearly two dozen states passed laws restricting or completely banning abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Many states have implemented pregnancy limits of six to fifteen weeks. These restrictions disproportionately affect women of color, especially Black women.
Disproportionate impact on women of color
A recent report by National Partnership for Women and Family and the National Black Women’s Reproductive Program, In Our Own Voice, revealed that just about 7 million Black women – out of 12 million within the country – live in states with abortion restrictions or bans. The findings highlight the disproportionate impact these laws have on women of color, further exacerbating existing health disparities.
In response to Amber Thurman’s death, In Our Own Voice released an announcement describing how her death reflects the risks facing Black women across the country:
“What happened to Amber Nicole Thurman was entirely avoidable, but this is the post-Dobbs reality for many Black women, girls, and genderqueers who live in states like Georgia that not only restrict access, but criminalize this procedure. Doctors are unable to provide the best medical care possible, and black women – who already face disproportionately high maternal mortality rates – are dying preventable deaths.”
A call to motion and reflection
As the 2024 election approaches, abortion rights will proceed to be a critical issue for voters. As states exercise their power to find out access to reproductive health care, the lives of tens of millions of women hang within the balance. The query stays: Should abortion rights be restored on the federal level to guard the health and safety of all women?
Vice President Kamala Harris has made abortion a central issue of her campaign and highlighted the risks to women when the law doesn’t allow doctors to intervene, as she did in last conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
“The former president selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention of having them overturn the protections of Roe v. Wade,” Harris explained. “And they did as he had intended.”
“Ultimately, we face the question: What kind of country do we want to live in? And the beauty of democracy, if we can stick to it, is that each of us has power.”
The conversation about abortion is way from over, and this election could shape the long run of women’s health care – and reproductive justice for Black women – for years to come back.