2020 Election may decide the Future of Females and Planned Parenthood

By Alejandra Montes de Oca

(Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

It is very clear that the 2020 election is an important one. While there are so many important issues that are being debated by the presidential candidates, there are some that decide people’s futures for them. One of these issues includes the topic of abortion and the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

This year, the Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, is up for reelection. The Trump Administration is making it more difficult to get an abortion and would not be opposed to a complete ban on abortion. Additionally, he has defunded a lot of the federal money that Planned Parenthood is able to get “reimbursed for providing services to people who rely on Medicaid insurance or who are eligible for free or reduced fee services though the Title X program.”

The Democratic Presidential candidate is Joe Biden. Biden plans on keeping access to abortion. He believes that women have the right to choose. If Biden wins, he plans on restoring the federal funding for Planned Parenthood. This is a part of his “Agenda for Women” proposal. 

Why does this matter?

The debate on the legalization of abortion has been on the table for centuries. One case on abortion has been discussed ever since it happened. In 1969, Norma McCorvey was young, single, and scared. She was pregnant and wanted an abortion. She lived in Texas where abortion was legal. However, it was only legal if the mother’s life was in danger. McCorvey decided she would have an abortion even if the way she went about it was illegal. However, her attempt failed. 

In 1970, McCorvey sued the state of Texas stating that the abortion law was unconstitutional because it broke the right to privacy that is assumed through the ninth amendment. This is where she was given the pseudonym of Jane Roe. Attorney Henry Wade defended the State of Texas.

In 1971, McCorvey had given birth and sent the baby for adoption.The court was still deciding whether or not this was unconstitutional. In 1973, after three years, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 with the majority stating that the abortion law was, in fact, unconsititutional relating to privacy in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.They concluded that a women had a right to an abortion until the fetus reached an age of viability. Viability means, in this case, the baby could survive independently outside of the mother’s womb. This is around the 22 weeks of pregnancy. 

As a result, abortion is now legal throughout the United States. However, many of the State laws contradicted the new ruling of the Supreme Court. Hence, many states had to change their laws in order to make them constitutional. For more information concerning Roe v. Wade please follow this link. 

Why is the Roe v. Wade decision relevant today?

People have made this a polarizing decision with the two sides being “Pro-Choice” and “Pro-Life.” A Pro-Choice stance states that an individual has the right to choose whether or not they wants an abortion. This stance defends the position that was given in Roe v. Wade. A Pro-Life stance claims that life begins at conception. As a result, any abortion done, at any point of pregnancy, is considered murder. 

Many people vote on politicians depending on whether they are Pro-Choice or Pro-Life. In this Presidential Campaign, Trump is Pro-Life and Biden is Pro-Choice. 

Pro-Choice is so much more than just about abortion. It is the idea that women are able to control their reproductive rights and is a larger fight for freedom. Women may want an abortion for many different reasons. Regardless of the reason, women should have the right to what happens to their bodies.

Trump and Pro-Life supporters are trying to fight the Roe v. Wade decision in hopes to end and criminalize abortions. However, abortions can still be done, as McCorvey did in 1969. If someone wants an abortion, they’re going to do it. Some women have traveled to other countries in order to get an abortion. It is better to have a safe abortion than having an unsafe one. Additionally, the lack of access to a safe abortion is yet another attack on ethinicies and class. 

Why does Planned Parenthood need government money for abortions?

Contrary to popular belief, Planned Parenthood does more than just abortions. Planned Parenthood provides many free or low cost services. Services they offer include STD testing and treatments, birth control, general healthcare and so much more. The Trump administration has threatened to take away all of these services that Planned Parenthood provides. While abortion is a personal choice that a woman can choose to do at Planned Parenthood, it is not the only thing that they do. 

The defunding of Planned Parenthood limits the amount of help communities receive. Healthcare can be very expensive which is why Planned Parenthood is so essential in the United States. The election results could threaten the health and lives of many individuals. Voting is the best thing we can do right now. Go out there and vote.