Women’s Rights Under Fire

DC+police+assemble+extra+barricades+next+to+the+United+States+Supreme+Court+as+protestors+continue+to+gather+following+the+leak+of+a+draft+decision+from+Justice+Alito+that+would+over+turn+Roe+v.+Wade+and+allow+States+to+enact+bans+on+abortion+on+Capitol+Hill+in+Washington%2C+DC%2C+on+May+3%2C+2022.

Courtesy: Samuel Corum

“DC police assemble extra barricades next to the United States Supreme Court as protestors continue to gather following the leak of a draft decision from Justice Alito that would over turn Roe v. Wade and allow States to enact bans on abortion on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.”

Paulina Prechtel, Reporter

Protesters gathered throughout the country this week,  with “my body my choice” chants ringing out on our nation’s streets, as the leak of a potential overturn of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade became public.

Roe v. Wade is a Supreme Court decision established in 1973, in which the court ruled that the Constitution protected a woman’s right to privacy to choose to have an abortion without government restrictions. 

As of April 2022, out of the nine judges on the Supreme Court,  six of them were appointed by Republican Presidents, compared to only three appointed by a Democratic President. This shocking imbalance of political ideology creates a larger conservative influence on decisions. While the leaked opinion’s authenticity hasn’t been proved, the increased conservative influence on the court has made the public believe in the credibility of the potential overturn.

“In any event, however, for an employee or member of the court to intentionally leak a draft opinion would be a gross betrayal of trust, particularly if the leak were an effort to advance partisan aims or to undermine the court’s work and legitimacy,” said Professor Garnett to the New York Times.

The increased right leaning partisanship within the past decade in the court, has led many to question the legitimacy the Supreme Court has been juggling to maintain. This recent leak is not helping them preserve their legitimacy in any way, shape, or form.

Many young women around the United States are in fear of their future, and in fear of having their basic human rights taken away from them, while older women are concerned and angry to see that our country seems to be moving backwards once again. 

What I mourn the most is that we women, under the law, are not equal to men. We’re in the wind. Again.” said playwright and novelist Bonnie Greer.