Why We Need the ROE Act

CONTENT WARNING: mentions of assault 

From border policing to the travel ban, the Trump administration continues to violate human rights. One of its most atrocious shortcomings is their approach to reproductive rights. The administration has allowed many encroachments on the constitutional right to abortion awarded so many decades ago which are not only legally impermissible, but morally appalling. Those who can become pregnant no longer have complete control over their own bodies, and are forced to face traumatic hardships. They have been arrested for miscarrying, forced to give birth as teenagers, and blocked from accessing safe, legal abortion despite being victims of rape or other unfavorable circumstances. 

Several organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, have advocated for legislation such as the ROE Act in order to prevent these outcomes. The bill amends Chapter 112 of the General Laws to increase access to abortion in Massachusetts. One may question the need for such action here in Massachusetts. We’re a historically liberal state, so is there really a need for such extreme measures? 

The answer to this question comes from analyzing not just our political alignment as a state, but also as a country. We are not, and will never be, unified in our political opinions. Take Georgia and California as examples. Although both states function as part of a whole, their internal policymaking and legal stances wildly differ. This variance is precisely why legislation to protect abortion—such as the ROE act—is necessary everywhere, not just where access is currently threatened.

This is how our democracy functions; Massachusetts may have a liberal majority, but there will always be a conservative minority and subsequently, political differences. We are never collectively unanimous, and this statement is true of our nation as well. Just a decade ago, this scenario would have been unthinkable in the Obama era; however, the present situation serves as a necessary reminder of how quickly, and drastically, times can change. With the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, who stands accused of sexual assault and holds exceedingly conservative opinions regarding abortion, the Trump administration is poised to take their attack on people’s reproductive rights nationwide. 

If these rollbacks are allowed to continue on their devastating path, it is certain that reproductive healthcare will be endangered anywhere the Trump administration can intrude. We need stringent protections for our rights—we will not give up the right to choose, least of all without a fight.

by AANYA GHOSH