Abortion Rights Being Threatened Once Again

As all of you already know (because what did we even talk about before this?), we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Our lives have completely changed. Does anybody else feel like their life was just starting to get good before all of this happened?! I know I do! As a result of this virus, lots of decisions have been made throughout our country. Student loan payments have been put on hold. Schools and universities have closed their doors the remainder of the school year. Tax season has been extended. Life is just WEIRD right now.

Unfortunately, some politicians have seen this pandemic as way to push their own political agendas. This week, both Texas and Ohio put a delay on all nonessential surgeries statewide, in an effort (they claim) to preserve medical supplies for impending coronavirus cases. Among these “nonessential” surgeries were abortions. This decision to delay abortions until after the pandemic sent abortion clinics and their lawyers into a frenzy. Remember Roe v. Wade?? That case that made abortions a constitutional right for all woman?! Abortion clinics weren’t going down without a fight so they sued. This prompted federal district court judges to get involved.

In Texas, District Court Judge Lee Yeakel issued a temporary stay on Texas’ decision to delay abortions. Stating that,

“Regarding a woman’s right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion, the Supreme Court has spoken clearly. There can be no outright ban on such a procedure.” 

District Court Judge Lee Yeakel

In Ohio, District Court Judge Michael Barrett issued a 2-week restraining order, demanding that Ohio provide proof that banning abortions would save enough medical supplies to justify the “irreparable harm” that this decision would bring to women. Unfortunately, Ohio officials are already planning their appeal.

As a “pro-choice” supporter, the looming possibility of Texas and Ohio succeeding in their decision to temporarily ban abortions is really upsetting. I believe that abortion is essential healthcare. Making a woman postpone her abortion until after the pandemic could be extremely detrimental to both her physical and mental health (and who even knows when this pandemic will end!). If a woman makes the decision to get an abortion early enough, she can simply just take a pill to do so. However, if this woman is forced to wait months to terminate her pregnancy, she will be subject to a riskier, more invasive procedure.

Frankly, I think using a global pandemic as a reason to push a political agenda is disgusting. How about we focus on saving the lives of actual living, breathing humans, rather than clumps of cells.