Category Archives: Health Care, LGBT Community, Women,

What Roe v Wade Means to Me

Posted by chane@dnc.org on January 22, 2012 Comments Off

We celebrate liberty and equality.

Roe v. Wade was, and remains a cornerstone for women. In America, we promise our citizens the freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—and this landmark decision upheld those promises. We cannot expect to be mistresses of our own lives if we are subject to unplanned pregnancies, which often lead to financial dependence and a loss of an opportunity for higher education. Roe v. Wade in conjunction with increased access to contraception gave real reproductive control to women for the first time. It gave women choice, liberty, and opened the doors for much of our subsequent achievement.

What does Roe v Wade mean to me?

Posted by chane@dnc.org on January 22, 2012 Comments Off

I was a teenager when the Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that the right to privacy under the due process clause in the 14th Amendment extends to a woman’s right to choose. I celebrated this victory for personal choice. As more time passes, I see a greater connection between this decision and other civil rights issues, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equal rights, and the freedom to practice one’s religion.

I am pro-choice, because I believe we do not have the right to dictate to others how to behave, provided that their actions do us no harm. I support the right of each person to choose their own faith practices, and to believe or not believe in the god or gods of their choice.

The bottom line is: I do not have the right to impose my personal preferences and values on other people, and they do not have the right to impose theirs on me. The law should respect our autonomy and privacy, and treat us as equals, and this is the power and the value of Roe v. Wade. My body, my life: my choice. Your body, your life: your choice.