Abortion is a Human Right, Even if the Florida House Does Not Agree

The+Florida+House+recently+passed+a+bill+restricting+abortion+to+15+weeks%2C+consequently+creating+controversy+over+bodily+autonomy+and+womens+rights.

Sofia Felan

The Florida House recently passed a bill restricting abortion to 15 weeks, consequently creating controversy over bodily autonomy and women’s rights.

Gabriela McGrath Moreira, OverFlow Editor

Women’s rights have come a long way, yet society still chooses to not grant people the right to make decisions about their own bodies. Recently, the Florida House passed a bill stating abortion is not allowed after 15 weeks. No exceptions will be given for rape, incest or human trafficking. The state of Florida has clearly decided to take a step back in time and dictate reproductive rights for women.

With a conservative legislative body, it is no surprise that this bill was passed. A serious repercussion is the negative impact on lower income communities by not allowing access to equitable reproductive care. To restrict a woman’s right to this is to deprive them of their basic healthcare. Abortion has always been controversial, nevertheless a woman should be granted the option whether they were raped or simply cannot support the baby once it is born.

Programs such as Planned Parenthood provide free and accessible care when it comes to reproductive health. To truly give reproductive rights to people means increasing accessibility to contraception and providing reproductive care through abortion to all people. The freedom of bodily autonomy and the right to a choice is at stake and needs to be defended.

“As I grow up I hope to see women all over the world have access to the necessary care I believe everyone deserves. I think that abortion needs to be up to the person and its a matter of choice and bodily autonomy,” sophomore Angie Baji said.

Not to mention that the arguments behind this bill are irrational. Time and time again, pro-lifers are all for making sure a woman has a baby, but disregarding what happens next. Generally, if a baby is not adopted, then the next step is being placed in foster care, which becomes a stressful situation for any kid, in fact, about 30% of children in foster care have severe emotional, behavioral or developmental problems. Who will support the baby if the mother is unable to? Having an abortion is one of the hardest decisions a women has to make, regardless of whether they want one. Restricting abortion will most likely lead to an influx of children being placed in a corrupt foster care system where they are not taken care of properly.

“This bill scares me because it represents what is wrong with society and how much power people have over women’s bodies. It feels almost illegal to enforce a restriction on our right as women to choose whether we give birth,” sophomore Beatriz Carvalho said.

A bill restricting abortion to 15 weeks will also increase underground abortions. The main argument against this bill could not be more true: restricting abortions will not stop them, rather, it will make it less safe for pregnant women. The rate of unsafe abortion is nearly 45 times higher in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws than in countries where abortion is legal and provided without restriction. This bill is an attack on people’s reproductive rights and safety.

Perhaps what is truly inhumane about this bill is the fact that there are no exceptions unless the abortion is necessary to save the person’s life. This bill tells all people that after 15 weeks, even if they underwent a traumatic experience, it is mandatory to give birth to the baby. Considering that rape and incest typically goes unreported, to make a human give birth would take a huge toll on their mental and physical wellbeing. No bill should allow someone to undergo such a painful experience.

Women around the world understand the importance of reproductive rights and have fought tooth and nail for basic access to healthcare in their countries. In Latin America, the fight to legalize abortion is finally being acted upon with countries such as Argentina passing laws allowing abortion. Nevertheless, it was only after countless years of protests and consistent pressure from those who desperately need reproductive healthcare. Abortion is not only a choice but a human right that deserves to be upheld for all those who have fought so hard to give people a choice.

A person’s right to an abortion is non-negotiable, and it is unacceptable to have such severe restrictions. Instead of solving a so-called problem, it shows young women that they are not allowed to have a choice when it comes to their body and future. This trend of taking away the liberty of choice currently plagues the United States and will continue to if legislators do not realize abortion is a fundamental human right.