Is history repeating itself?
A deep dive into the reaction to the Roe v. Wade overturn.
A pregnant person sits crossed-legged with quotes surrounding them. These quotes are taken from comments on a post created on Reddit, asking Western students to share their thoughts on the current political climate // Illustration by Elsa Haddock
Written by Crystal Tucker
Fear, anger and denial. What a way to begin your summer.
June 24, 2022 marked a day that no doubt ignited change in the history of the United States: Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, was overturned, now leaving states the power to either allow, ban, or restrict abortion access.
Many people living in Washington, a pro-choice state according to the Washington State Department of Health, is worried about the affects that could arise from the overturn.
Western Washington University students and alumni have voiced their growing concerns on the matter.
“I have this foreshadowing fear that it’s going to be just on the back of everyone’s mind in two months,” said Robin Kuntz, a former Western student who graduated in spring of 2022.
Kuntz grew up in Montana, where she says the topic of abortion is a huge issue. She currently lives in Bellingham and is hesitant to go back to her state.
“It’s one of those undecided states where I’m already hearing different senators and other higher people that have very different views,” Kuntz said. “So I don’t even know which way that state will ever switch. I have so many female friends in that state and they’re not going to stop rioting anytime soon.”
The state courts have considered abortion to be protected under Montana’s constitutional right to privacy since 1999. According to Montana Free Press, abortion will remain legal in the state, and will likely stay that way. Despite this roughly 20-year-old protection, worries and concerns are still at an all time high for people like Kuntz.
Even though there are still states that have made the decision to keep abortions legal, some fear that women’s and people’s rights are being slowly dismantled one piece at a time.
“It proves how little control I have in this world,” Kuntz said. “I try to be optimistic and I love that my friends are also trying to be optimistic about it. There’s just no promise anymore and it’s really disappointing.”
The overturn has brought up a great deal of emotions and memories of personal and even traumatic experiences for some.
“It makes me feel a lot of things,” said Katherine, a Western student who prefers to remain anonymous, via Reddit. “Angry, of course, as well as incredibly sad for the women and girls in states who will be most affected by this, and scared for what the ruling means for the overall trajectory this country is headed [toward], and the future of reproductive autonomy in every state.”
Similarly, Philip Swalling, another Western student who voiced his opinion on Reddit, grew despondent about the news. Swalling said he was stunned when he first found out about the reversal.
“[I am] disappointed, appalled. At the same time, it doesn’t affect me or the people in my life as I’m in Washington, a state that will never make abortion illegal, and it gives Democrats a rallying point for upcoming elections which is nice,” Swalling said.
Katherine believed this was something that was destined to come when former President Donald Trump made a statement about appointing justices that would overturn Roe. Some Reddit users mentioned how this ruling can be seen as a giant step backward for the United States. With stark differences between the people and states, protests are likely to increase, as well as social media posts and exchanges.
“I don’t think the ruling changes how I look at the world. I think it just reinforced my already existing beliefs about how flawed the American political system is, and how out of sync we are with the rest of the developed world,” Katherine said. “We don’t have universal healthcare. We don’t have affordable education. And now we don’t have equal abortion access. This is just yet another way that America is behind the rest of the world in terms of progress.”
A big question that is still up in the air is whether states that decide to ban abortions can legally punish women for leaving the state to get an abortion, or punish people who help them secure an out-of-state abortion.
“By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court erased nearly 50 years of precedent,” said Planned Parenthood in a statement . Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and support to ensure that people receive the proper guidance to make informed decisions regarding themselves and their bodies. “They took away our power to make our own personal medical decisions, and they gave that power to lawmakers,” the statement said.
As of August 6, 2022, a bill that could enforce abortion restrictions through civil lawsuits if the abortion is administered outside of the state is pending in Missouri, according to an article from Poynter. Currently, no state has enacted a law to ban this travel, but it has been attempted.
Swalling believes that banning travel would be an unpopular as well as unjustifiable decision to the public, and even courts, if states do push the idea.
“I’m not sure if it’ll be made illegal to go to another state for an abortion,” Katherine said. “To me that seems unconstitutional on the grounds of interstate commerce.”
Katherine, Kuntz and Swalling offered suggestions on what to do now to help ease tensions as well as remedy the situation now that the decision has been overturned.
“We should stand together with the women who are at risk due to the overturning of Roe v. Wade,” Swalling said.
Finding your own way to harness your frustrations and anger is an important step to moving forward. Helping others achieve this goal will also allow us to work collectively despite differences in opinions. Checking in on people around you is one of the best ways to achieve this goal.
Katherine, Kuntz and Swalling also suggested available resources and places where people can make a positive difference in communities. Donating to organizations such as the National Network of Abortion Funds will help women in affected states.
Being politically active and voting was strongly recommended, as well.
“To cite one of my favorite quotes, ‘Voting is not a love letter, it’s a chess move,’” Katherine said.
Does the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade change how women view relationships, specifically intimate ones? This question also sparked a few different answers from the interviewees.
“For now, living in Washington — and especially so close to Canada, which has already announced it will provide abortions for Americans — I don’t feel scared of being in an intimate relationship,” Katherine said. “But if I were living somewhere like Texas or Louisiana, I don’t think I would want to take the risk of having sex. I don’t want biological children, so I’d probably be looking into sterilization if that were the case.”
Kuntz said she is fortunate to be in a relationship with somebody who respects her and her values, but like a lot of people, she still has that gut-wrenching fear of being taken advantage of by a stranger.
“Anybody could ruin my life right now if I am just alone on the streets,” Kuntz said.
No matter who you are or what your opinion is on this subject, many Western students and counselors are here to provide support and resources during this time for those who need it.
“I would tell people to remember to take care of themselves,” Katherine said. “The world’s a frightening place these days, but remember to seek out whatever sources of love and light you can in your life. It can be emotionally taxing to focus on issues like this all the time. We all deserve to take a break when we need one.”