Reproductive Rights

Reproductive rights refer to the ability of an individual to make their own decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. In the U.S., this issue is often centered around access to contraception and safe abortions. It also includes other aspects of family planning, such as the freedom to choose whether and when to have children and education about reproductive health and sexuality, which enables people to make informed decisions.

Reproductive rights are often a controversial matter, especially in regard to contraception and abortion. They are especially controversial during this election cycle, as Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that protected a person’s liberty to have an abortion, was overturned in 2022. Many voters now say that reproductive rights are the most important issue to them in this election. 

Some believe that abortion violates the rights of the fetus and that it is morally wrong to use artificial means to prevent the conception of a child. This viewpoint is typically called “pro-life.” On the other hand, a “pro-choice” viewpoint sees reproductive agency as a matter of privacy, personal autonomy, and a fundamental human right. Reproductive rights can be preserved by providing access to reproductive healthcare, as well as unbiased education about sexual health. Politically, this may come in the form of insurance coverage for abortion providers and contraception, protection against pregnancy discrimination, or removing restrictions, such as early deadlines, on abortion. 

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have vastly differing views on abortion. Harris is in favor of Congress passing a bill protecting abortion at the national level. Abortion access has become one of the main issues of her campaign. Trump’s current position is that abortion should be left up to the states. To that end, several states have added abortion access to their ballots this November, including Nebraska, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and South Dakota. 
Immediately following Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (the case that overturned Roe v. Wade), Massachusetts passed Executive Order 600 to protect access to abortions within the state. This order has since been codified by the Shield Law, maintaining abortion access through the 23rd week of pregnancy (and longer if determined necessary by a physician). Additionally, Massachusetts passed theACCESS bill in 2017 to protect affordable contraception access. This legislation ensured health insurance coverage of reproductive health services in the face of federal rollbacks.

Edited by Kai Markley