History of Reproductive Rights
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Progressive Era:
In the decades leading up to the Progressive Era, conversation regarding birth control emerged. For centuries, birth control was never an option as it challenged many religious ideals. In 1873, the Comstock Laws, which outlawed the distribution of birth control, pornography, and other “illicit materials”, caused immediate pushback among progressive women. Birth control just was not an option for American women and this contributed the the rising levels of poverty and illegal, unsafe abortions.
The women in the Progressive Era sought to abolish sex trafficking, to raise age of sexual consent, and to allow women to refuse sex in marriage, as well as to provide women with birth control and the option for abortion. Namely one woman, Margret Sanger sought to legalize contraceptives, enforce information regarding sex ed, and overturn anti-abortion laws. She opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn NY. Her attempts to provide women with safer options failed because she was arrested for the violation of the Comstock Laws for distributing illegal materials. This Comstock Lawa, which the government approved of, hindered Sanger's actions and tainted her name, as many soon believed her to be too radical in her beliefs. Soon after her release from prison, determined not to let what she considered to be an unjust law obstruct her goals, she founded the American Birth Control League, the first legal doctor-funded birth control clinic. The American Birth Control League would later be called the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, presently the most prominent birth control chain. Sanger’s “radical” actions would establish the foundation for the Birth Control Movement that would begin toward the end of the Progressive Era in 1914.
In the decades leading up to the Progressive Era, conversation regarding birth control emerged. For centuries, birth control was never an option as it challenged many religious ideals. In 1873, the Comstock Laws, which outlawed the distribution of birth control, pornography, and other “illicit materials”, caused immediate pushback among progressive women. Birth control just was not an option for American women and this contributed the the rising levels of poverty and illegal, unsafe abortions.
The women in the Progressive Era sought to abolish sex trafficking, to raise age of sexual consent, and to allow women to refuse sex in marriage, as well as to provide women with birth control and the option for abortion. Namely one woman, Margret Sanger sought to legalize contraceptives, enforce information regarding sex ed, and overturn anti-abortion laws. She opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn NY. Her attempts to provide women with safer options failed because she was arrested for the violation of the Comstock Laws for distributing illegal materials. This Comstock Lawa, which the government approved of, hindered Sanger's actions and tainted her name, as many soon believed her to be too radical in her beliefs. Soon after her release from prison, determined not to let what she considered to be an unjust law obstruct her goals, she founded the American Birth Control League, the first legal doctor-funded birth control clinic. The American Birth Control League would later be called the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, presently the most prominent birth control chain. Sanger’s “radical” actions would establish the foundation for the Birth Control Movement that would begin toward the end of the Progressive Era in 1914.
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Though immense amounts of progress was made by Sanger alone, pushback arose from church groups which fought all forms of contraceptive, as well as from many states who refused to administer birth control. During the Progressive Era, Congress did not make any rulings concerning reproductive rights, thus efforts made by Sanger and other radical progressives would not recieve congressional acknowledgement until decades later. Because the Progressive Era marked the beginning of the push toward increased reproductive rights for women, not much was achieved on the governmental level, but all efforts kickstarted a wave that would echo to future decades when the fight for reproductive rights would reach full throttle.
Modern Era:
In 1960, just before Sanger's death in 1966, Enovid, the first oral birth control pill was released to the public, kickstarting the Second Wave of Feminism. Since then, women's reproductive rights have increased dramatically in many facets including rights to contraceptives and abortions. Congress has passed several acts and laws which benefit the push for reproductive rights:
Timeline:
1965 – Griswold v. Connecticut: The Supreme Court rules that it is unconstitutional for a state to 'obstruct privacy' (or to ban contraceptives) to married couples.
1965 – Information shows that ⅙ of deaths related to childbirth and pregnancy are due to illegal abortions, thus proving that there is little correlation between legality and abortion number, but there is correlation between legality and safety of abortions.
1968 – President Lyndon Johnson calls for the repeal of all abortion laws.
1970 – Title X: Meant to help low income citizens to plan their families and to prevent abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies.
1972 – Eisentstadt v. Baird: Congress extends Griswold v. Connecticut to unmarried couples.
1973 – Roe v. Wade: Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional for a state to ban abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger. States cannot restrict abortions in the first trimesters, but can under certain circumstances during the second or third trimester.
1984 – Mexico City Policy: Ronald Reagan blocks U.S. funding to international non-governmental organizations that provide or support abortions. *
1992 – Planned Parenthood v. Casey: Supreme Court rules that instead of Roe v. Wade trimester boundaries, states can prevent abortions at fetal viability.
1993 – Mexico City Policy: Bill Clinton rescinds it. *
2001 – Mexico City Policy: George W. Bush reinstates it. *
2009 – Mexico City Policy: Barack Obama rescinds it. *
2011 – All insurance companies must provide contraceptives to women without co-pay
2016 – Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt: Texas cannot restrict a woman's accessibility to abortions
2017 – Mexico City Policy: Trump reinstates it. *
* Mexico City Policy has been a controversial topic during Trumps new presidency and is a topic that is of concern to the reproductive rights of women as reinstating it means a backwards step.
When looking at the timeline, it is clear that the trend points toward the expansion of reproductive rights. However, given the ebbing and flowing of the Mexico City Policy, no one can say for sure the effect of the Trump presidency on women's reproductive rights. However, it is true that since Roe v. Wade, the safety record of abortions lies over 99%, and it is now one of safest procedures because of the medical support provided through its legality.
Trump's Presidency and the Future:
I would predict that many aspects of women's reproductive rights will change during this presidency, some for better and some for worse. There is an Anti-Abortion Agenda to ban abortions entirely, which starts with 20 week plan (unpopular with both democrats and republicans alike). Whether this passes or not, nobody can predict. With Trump's new U.S. Supreme Court Justice, it is quite possible for progress to be unwound, even considering the massive amounts of people in favor of the Women's Marches on Washington, LA, and other major cities. However, many Republicans and Democrats alike agreed that the right to privacy is implied in the 9th and 14th amendments, thus abortion (a form of privacy) cannot be controlled by state or federal governments. I am certain that making abortions illegal will only force women to seek black market abortions, thus causing many harmful medical side effects and higher death rate. It feels as though, throughout history, it has always been difficult to separate sexuality and childbearing in this society, and that sentiment against abortion and birth control has not wavered, especially in the government. It is easy to draw parallels between Reagan and Trump, two presidents who have served over thirty years apart. There is much hope, however, that the future will grant women more sexual freedoms and reproductive rights.
Modern Era:
In 1960, just before Sanger's death in 1966, Enovid, the first oral birth control pill was released to the public, kickstarting the Second Wave of Feminism. Since then, women's reproductive rights have increased dramatically in many facets including rights to contraceptives and abortions. Congress has passed several acts and laws which benefit the push for reproductive rights:
Timeline:
1965 – Griswold v. Connecticut: The Supreme Court rules that it is unconstitutional for a state to 'obstruct privacy' (or to ban contraceptives) to married couples.
1965 – Information shows that ⅙ of deaths related to childbirth and pregnancy are due to illegal abortions, thus proving that there is little correlation between legality and abortion number, but there is correlation between legality and safety of abortions.
1968 – President Lyndon Johnson calls for the repeal of all abortion laws.
1970 – Title X: Meant to help low income citizens to plan their families and to prevent abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies.
1972 – Eisentstadt v. Baird: Congress extends Griswold v. Connecticut to unmarried couples.
1973 – Roe v. Wade: Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional for a state to ban abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger. States cannot restrict abortions in the first trimesters, but can under certain circumstances during the second or third trimester.
1984 – Mexico City Policy: Ronald Reagan blocks U.S. funding to international non-governmental organizations that provide or support abortions. *
1992 – Planned Parenthood v. Casey: Supreme Court rules that instead of Roe v. Wade trimester boundaries, states can prevent abortions at fetal viability.
1993 – Mexico City Policy: Bill Clinton rescinds it. *
2001 – Mexico City Policy: George W. Bush reinstates it. *
2009 – Mexico City Policy: Barack Obama rescinds it. *
2011 – All insurance companies must provide contraceptives to women without co-pay
2016 – Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt: Texas cannot restrict a woman's accessibility to abortions
2017 – Mexico City Policy: Trump reinstates it. *
* Mexico City Policy has been a controversial topic during Trumps new presidency and is a topic that is of concern to the reproductive rights of women as reinstating it means a backwards step.
When looking at the timeline, it is clear that the trend points toward the expansion of reproductive rights. However, given the ebbing and flowing of the Mexico City Policy, no one can say for sure the effect of the Trump presidency on women's reproductive rights. However, it is true that since Roe v. Wade, the safety record of abortions lies over 99%, and it is now one of safest procedures because of the medical support provided through its legality.
Trump's Presidency and the Future:
I would predict that many aspects of women's reproductive rights will change during this presidency, some for better and some for worse. There is an Anti-Abortion Agenda to ban abortions entirely, which starts with 20 week plan (unpopular with both democrats and republicans alike). Whether this passes or not, nobody can predict. With Trump's new U.S. Supreme Court Justice, it is quite possible for progress to be unwound, even considering the massive amounts of people in favor of the Women's Marches on Washington, LA, and other major cities. However, many Republicans and Democrats alike agreed that the right to privacy is implied in the 9th and 14th amendments, thus abortion (a form of privacy) cannot be controlled by state or federal governments. I am certain that making abortions illegal will only force women to seek black market abortions, thus causing many harmful medical side effects and higher death rate. It feels as though, throughout history, it has always been difficult to separate sexuality and childbearing in this society, and that sentiment against abortion and birth control has not wavered, especially in the government. It is easy to draw parallels between Reagan and Trump, two presidents who have served over thirty years apart. There is much hope, however, that the future will grant women more sexual freedoms and reproductive rights.