Amendment 2 and the WIN for Women's Reproductive rights.
This year's midterm election had an unsettling amendment up for vote. The proposed second amendment would block access to abortion in the state of Kentucky by including it in our state's constitution. This amendment could have been extremely catastrophic for Kentucky residents, but thankfully 52.3% of our residents voted no against amendment two.
Abortion is a sensitive subject for many people, but it isn't something we can ignore as it is extremely prominent in our society. It's no secret that republican and conservative people tend to lean more “Pro-Life” while Democratic people lean more toward the “Pro-Choice” campaign. Personally, I believe a woman should have the right to choose what is best for herself, her body and her future. This is a very serious decision that is not made lightly and is one that women have to make every day. This decision should be decided by them and their healthcare professional and whomever they trust to talk to.
Blocking abortion access in the United States has proven to lead to uncertainty. Ever since the overturning of Roe V. Wade, on June 24, 2022, laws that certain states such as Kentucky had set to limit abortion access the moment it was overturned have been put into place. This has caused women to have to travel hours to seek an abortion, even if it was medically necessary. Not only is this extremely stressful on the woman, but it also has led to many healthcare complications in turn, even leaving one woman on a ventilator fighting for her life. Not only that, but just weeks after Roe was overturned a 10-year-old girl from Utah had to travel to Indiana to receive an abortion after being sexually assaulted.
The reality is, 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in their life, while 1 in 6 women are sexually assaulted in America. Over 30,000 women a year become pregnant from assault - that is 30,000 women not only dealing with terrifying trauma, but also going through so many changes. This rate is something to seriously consider when thinking about where you stand on this issue. Not only can carrying a child of your assaulter be extremely mentally deprecating, but it can also affect the woman's physical health.
Religion is a major part of the debate against abortion, with many claiming it goes against their views and their religious freedom, and that is a fair argument to have. However, if we are discussing that, what about the women's freedom if she doesn’t identify as religious or if her religion allows abortion? In some religions it is believed abortion is a women's right, such as Judaism where they believe life begins after birth.
Blocking this Amendment was a remarkable thing, but it does not restore the security that was felt when Roe was still active. There is still a fight going on to restore this right to women, and lawsuits and court rulings are continuing to define what is to happen with abortion access in Kentucky.
Most people have a view on this subject and whether you agree with me or disagree with me the most important thing is the health and happiness of our people and refusing access to abortion will only continue to harm the women of the United States.
Works cited
Statistics. RAINN. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.rainn.org/statistics
Yetter, D. (2022, November 10). What's next for the abortion fight in Kentucky after Constitutional Amendment 2's Defeat? Courier Journal. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2022/11/10/kentucky-abortion-amendment-whats-next-in-fight-to-restore-access/69634293007/
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