Womens Reproductive Rights
Timothy Davey
Mr. Stark
Government
29 Nov. 2012
Women’s War for Reproductive Rights
The most challenging social issue in America today is not just abortion, but a woman’s right to contraceptives and reproductive health. Generally abortion is an issue that has always been questioned but is an ambiguous subject, even though abortions have been allowed by the Supreme Court for almost five decades. The debate is where to draw the line for contraceptive availability, abortion laws, and healthcare. The argument ranges from; free contraceptives, full healthcare, and whenever the mother decides; to no contraceptives, paid-for healthcare, and none at all. Neither of these arguments can be supported and bring into question human morality, individual freedom and personal responsibilities, as well as federal and state responsibility. The proper role of federal and state government is to ensure women’s basic rights to safe, affordable reproductive healthcare and choice regarding its use.
In America today we have states like Virginia, which want to change the policies regarding women’s reproductive freedom. Tobias Wolff, a writer for the Huffington Post reported, “The Virginia legislature has passed a bill that will force women seeking an abortion to undergo a medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound” (Wolff 1). This now mandatory ultrasound is a government overreach to control women’s reproductive rights by making them go through such an embarrassing unnecessary procedure. Making a woman have a normal ultrasound does the same thing as a transvaginal one. It’s just a lot more humane and comforting for the woman, and a woman should have one before an abortion decision because picture proof evidence that you have a life forming inside you can greatly affect a woman’s decision, but a transvaginal ultrasound is just unnecessary.
But there are states, such as Nebraska, that don’t want to outlaw abortion or make ridiculous deterrents, that wish to make it more humane by
Mr. Stark
Government
29 Nov. 2012
Women’s War for Reproductive Rights
The most challenging social issue in America today is not just abortion, but a woman’s right to contraceptives and reproductive health. Generally abortion is an issue that has always been questioned but is an ambiguous subject, even though abortions have been allowed by the Supreme Court for almost five decades. The debate is where to draw the line for contraceptive availability, abortion laws, and healthcare. The argument ranges from; free contraceptives, full healthcare, and whenever the mother decides; to no contraceptives, paid-for healthcare, and none at all. Neither of these arguments can be supported and bring into question human morality, individual freedom and personal responsibilities, as well as federal and state responsibility. The proper role of federal and state government is to ensure women’s basic rights to safe, affordable reproductive healthcare and choice regarding its use.
In America today we have states like Virginia, which want to change the policies regarding women’s reproductive freedom. Tobias Wolff, a writer for the Huffington Post reported, “The Virginia legislature has passed a bill that will force women seeking an abortion to undergo a medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound” (Wolff 1). This now mandatory ultrasound is a government overreach to control women’s reproductive rights by making them go through such an embarrassing unnecessary procedure. Making a woman have a normal ultrasound does the same thing as a transvaginal one. It’s just a lot more humane and comforting for the woman, and a woman should have one before an abortion decision because picture proof evidence that you have a life forming inside you can greatly affect a woman’s decision, but a transvaginal ultrasound is just unnecessary.
But there are states, such as Nebraska, that don’t want to outlaw abortion or make ridiculous deterrents, that wish to make it more humane by
Cited: “Birth Control and Reproductive Rights” New York Times. New York Times, 29 Jan. 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. Davey, Monica, “Nebraska Sets Limits on Abortion.” New York Times. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2010. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. Hass, Nancy. "The Next Roe v. Wade?" Newsweek 19 Dec. 2011: 25. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. Hauser, Debra. "Making it Personal: the 1 in 3 Campaign Aims to Change the Abortion Debate." Women 's Health Activist Jan.-Feb. 2012: 5. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. Hitt, Jack. “Pro-Life Nation.” New York Times. New York Times, 9 Apr. 2006. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. Johnson, Fawn. "Obama vs. Romney--Social Issues: No-Brainer." Nationaljournal.com 23 Aug. 2012: General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. Sheppard, Kate. "Wham, Bam, Sonogram! Transvaginal Ultrasounds? Check. Attacking Planned Parenthood? Check. Meet the Women Who are Blasting Away at Reproductive Rights, One State at a Time." Mother Jones Sept.-Oct. 2012: 5+. General Reference Center GOLD. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. Wolff, Tobias. “The Republican War on Women: Invading the Vagina in Virginia” The Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 3 Sept. 2012.