Let’s talk about the upcoming election in Virginia, and why it is important to VOTE.
First off, how to register to vote in Virginia.
You may or may not know but, Virginia is the LAST southern state that provides the opportunity to people with uteruses to safely have an abortion. Whether you have a uterus or are sexually active with people who have a uterus, it is important to vote for candidates who are allowing people to make the decisions that will affect their safety.
More than a year has gone by since The United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has limited access to safe and protected abortions in the U.S.. After the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it is up to each state to decide whether they support or not support this decision. Since the overturning of the 14th Amendment, 21/50 states have either placed a full or partial ban on abortions in their state. To keep up with accurate and up-to-date information on which states are changing their previous rights, click here.
You may be thinking, “What can I do to help?”
You guessed it, by voting!
Voting is a privilege that some eligible U.S. citizens do not take seriously. Fortunately, the Gen Z generation is voting because their rights are at stake. I may be biased since I am a part of the Gen Z generation but, I am so proud that this generation is advocating for mental health and LGBTQIA + rights. Now, a call to action to each generation and U.S. citizens eligible to vote must keep showing up to the polls to keep human rights in the state of Virginia.
Understanding that is NOT just a woman’s right.
Cis gendered women are directly affected by losing rights to their bodies, but it also negatively affects people who have uteruses. It is important to be mindful of our language that non-binary folks and anyone with a uterus are affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I want to be mindful that people who have the ability to get pregnant may not want to have an abortion, but it is the right and option to individually CHOOSE.
Abortions are NOT just used to terminate a fetus or embryo.
My grandmother, who is a cis-gendered woman, had an abortion. She had an abortion for health reasons because she was not healthy enough to be pregnant even though she and her partner wanted the child. You may or may not know someone who has been in the position of my grandmother. Still, I have noticed conversations where people defend the ethical and moral reasons of abortions, but lack the acknowledgment that abortions are used for health concerns. That being said, the person who has the ability to be pregnant should be valued as a human life.
Virginians, keep your rights.
I am not here to influence what someone chooses to do with their body, but it is my business as a cis-gendered woman and ally to understand that my vote and YOUR vote matter. I hope to spread awareness that the overturning of Roe v. Wade is a human rights issue and is only the beginning of what other amendments may be overturned.
Protect your state’s rights by respecting and acknowledging that decisions over your own and someone else’s body should be a personal decision, not the state’s. Go Vote!
ShoutOut! James Madison University 
Very well written. I personally agree that everyone has the right to their own body and the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. Pro-choice is about that second word “choice”, rather than making or shaming someone into an outcome that they have no choice in. A common misconception about Gen-Z is that we are lazy, and unengaged, which I have seen to be true in some individuals as everyone is complex. However, we are also passionate, motivated and relentless in our fight for the justice of all.
I was not aware that Virginia was the LAST Southern state presently protecting the right to an abortion. It is a bit surprising honestly, as I understand that VA Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration has this on the agenda. I hope that we are able to maintain this status as a state, but I feel that we are moving towards a partial ban at the least.
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I really enjoyed this blog post! I love how the first sentence provides a link for individuals to get information on how to register to vote in virginia. It seems like such a simple thing but many people don’t know how. I agree that voting is a privilege and I think it needs to be taken seriously by all citizens. Everything you brought up was very eye opening and informative. Thank you for sharing!
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This was very well written! I usually consider myself to be pretty disconnected with what is going on politically, so this post was especially informative to me. I didn’t know that VA was the last southern state that protects the abortion rights of women! It is important for everyone to learn about the stakes of this election, so thank you for bringing light to this topic!
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This is so timely and so important, thank you for sharing on this. Your use of a personal testimonial was so empowering and I really appreciated the authenticity in you writing. This was wonderfully informative and inspiring!
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I appreciate your insights into the nature of voting and the vital importance that it poses especially within our country today. Oftentimes people speak to the notion hat their vote doesn’t matter and that just one vote won’t make a difference. However, especially when it comes to local leaders, every vote absolutely counts. If we are conditioned into believing that we have no way of having our voices heard then we are all conditioned into complacency which in turn leads to hundreds of thousands of people who don’t vote despite the fact that if they all voted it would make a substantial change. However, I do want to acknowledge the ways states, especially southern states, have and continue to still disenfranchise voters of populations who have historically been marginalized with attempts to silence their voices. Voting is not a right for everyone, it is a privilege to a lot of us, and because we have such a privilege it is important to utilize it and vote for leaders who will work towards voting rights for all. To vote for leaders who will ensure that our voices are heard, because who we vote in impacts our local and state laws, impacts the House of Representatives and Congress, which in turn impacts who is elected as President and so on. So when we vote we aren’t just voting for ourselves but for our constituents and we must always be pushing to ensure that voting is accessible, that it is inclusive, and that it is something that everyone has a right to because right now that’s not the case.
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