Roe v. Wade Overturned: A Perfect Example of Why We Still Grieve the 2016 Election

It’s simple. They don’t care because these things don’t affect them.

Photo by Aiden Frazier on Unsplash

It started when too many Americans were comfortable with “grab ’em by the p — ssy.” When they were fine with electing a well-established racist and misogynist to the highest seat in American government. A man who stood credibly accused of sexual assault by at least twelve women, and by the time he sought political office, had been involved in over 3,500 lawsuits —in both state and federal courts.

It started in 2016, when roughly half of all eligible U.S. voters proclaimed: “maybe it’s time we ran our country more like a business,” and thought that a grifting, cheating, criminal-level con artist was just the man for the job.

And it continues through today, June 24, 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court officially overturned Roe v. Wade, declaring that a woman’s constitutional right to abortion no longer exists. With this unprecedented reversal of rights, the conservative Supreme Court Justices, who currently make up the majority, have eliminated a half-century of progress. They’ve left the legality of abortion (and by default, women’s rights) up to individual states.

Currently, four states and the District of Columbia have codified the right to abortion throughout pregnancy without state interference, and twelve states permit abortion prior to viability, or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. It’s a different story for the rest of the states.

Of course, we all know this ruling won’t stop abortion; it will only stop safe abortion for certain groups of people.

Although trigger laws take effect in 13 states immediately banning abortion (even in cases of rape or incest), more states are likely to follow suit. And other states such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina could go either way, since their governors — both Democratic party and have fought to protect abortion rights — are facing term limits. If Pennsylvania and North Carolina end up with Republican governors in 2024, we may see even more total abortion bans.

What it boils down to is this: privileged women will continue having the means and…