‘It’s about so much more than only abortion’: American students on the impact of Roe v Wade

CW – discussion of abortion and sexual assault

Catherine is a first-generation American with South African parents who, as a result of the decisions made by the Supreme Court, will “not be returning to the US after university.” Whilst she is unsure whether she will stay in the UK or rejoin her family in South Africa, she tells us that she “will not be a resident of a country where a gun has more rights than I do.”

The outcome of Roe v Wade will impact millions of Americans, affecting them personally as well as friends and family. The Edinburgh Tab spoke to six American students studying at Edinburgh about how the outcome will personally affect them and their families.

‘Nothing about this decision makes sense besides the reality that these politicians don’t care about you’

Molly Beairsto is 19. She is in her second year and is studying English Literature & Linguistics.

Molly lives in Maryland and was “not surprised by the decision.” She tells us that although the outcome was debated a lot in Maryland luckily her state will still offer abortions.

The impacts also affect others that Molly knows and she “knows a lot of women and people who can get pregnant that would not be alive today without this right.” As for the final outcome that the Supreme Court decided upon, Molly feels it is a “slap in the face against everything that has been going on recently” and the fact that the senators who claim they are pro-life did nothing when “just over a dozen kids were shot in their classrooms.”

She believes that “nothing about this decision makes sense” apart from “the reality that these politicians don’t care about you.”

‘This is about so much more than only abortion’

Caitlyn Smith* is 20. She is in her third year and is studying History.

Caitlyn is from Denver and is “very lucky” as her state has pre-established legislation that protects abortion and reproductive services. As such Caitlyn will not be affected on a local level, however, she has had “issues with birth control in the past” and as such access to Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health organisations has made it easier for her to stay “safe and healthy.”

Whilst Caitlyn believes that there are “certain issues that can and should be managed at the state level” she strongly feels that the “government has a responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to safe and consistent medical attention, regardless of cultural or religious opposition.”

She goes on to say that “abortion is healthcare, and by removing the federal protection that it had, it is putting hundreds of thousands of mothers and children at risk, much more than I think conservative advocates realise.”

The decision by the Supreme Court means “so much more than only abortion. It’s about church and state. It’s about structural inequity. It’s about basic bodily autonomy. If we don’t step up, other rights like gay marriage are at risk.”

‘This is one of the most disgusting decisions my government could allow’

Anna McBale* is going into her second year, and is from Oklahoma.

Anna tells us how in Oklahoma abortions are completely prohibited, the exception being medical emergencies. Currently, this has not had a strong effect on Anna, but she is concerned as to “how it will affect my rights to contraception.”

Anna has been taking the pill for four years to regulate her cycle, and reduce the severity of her cramps. However, she is scared that her access to the pill in Oklahoma will now be “limited or completely denied.”

For Anna, the outcome of Roe v Wade is “one of the most disgusting decisions my government could allow, to think about how many people and families this will hurt is sickening.” In her opinion “the banning of abortion will have a far greater negative impact on American society than abortion has had” and Anna “fully believes” that there were “no good intentions behind this decision.”

Whilst Anna does not consider herself “proud” or “patriotic”, she finds the continuing regression of America “heartbreaking and disappointing.” She is deeply concerned for the welfare of her “friends, family and the strangers all over America who relied on abortion as healthcare.”

‘It shocks me to my core that the Supreme Court of the United States made this decision’

Isabella Farina is 21. She is in her fourth year and is studying Psychology.

Isabella is from Miami, where, until July 1st, abortion is legal until 24 weeks. After that date, it will only be legal for up to 15 weeks. For Isabella, this decision will affect her personally if she ever chooses to move back to the US.

Isabella believes that “as a young woman it is hugely important for me and for anyone with a uterus to have the choice to get an abortion if they chose to do so”. Isabella’s mum lives in the US and Isabella is “scared” and “shocked to the core” that the Supreme Court made this decision.

Isabella’s parent’s home country is Argentina and after long campaigns and fighting from the people, it has been made legal, ending illegal and dangerous abortions in the process. Isabella tells us how “at the time I remember thinking how surreal it was that it had only just been legalised since to me it seemed like the obvious thing”, however now she is “deeply saddened that the US has chosen to go back in time on something as simple as bodily autonomy.”

‘I will not be a resident of a country where a gun has more rights than I do’

Catherine Martine is 20. She is going into her third year and is studying International Relations.

Catherine is from Sonoma County in California. Fortunately for her, not much will change as a result of Roe v Wade. Those in California who have uteruses, in particular those who earn less than $10k a year, have and will continue to have access to free reproductive health. This is through state-sponsored insurance and small regional clinics.

Catherine tells us that in California “practitioners and other healthcare staff will not be prosecuted for assisting in medical or surgical abortions, or prescribing Plan B, Ella, or other emergency contraceptives.”

Catherine is a first-generation American with South African parents who, as a result of the decisions made by the Supreme Court, will “not be returning to the US after university.” Whilst she is unsure whether she will stay in the UK or rejoin her family in South Africa, she tells us that she “will not be a resident of a country where a gun has more rights than I do.”

For Catherine, it’s clear that “such a harsh disrespect of privacy isn’t about life, it’s about control.” She tells others to “stop acting like abortion is like a quick Friday night trip to Spoons, when in reality women often have to travel sometimes thousands of miles, spend thousands of dollars, and go through mental and physical hardship of abortion, all while being told they’re a murderer.

She believes that “body autonomy should never be single-issue politics: we are people, not incubators, and we don’t live in Margaret Atwood’s Gilead.”

‘I would never be able to feel safe in a country that would force pregnancy upon me’

Christine Schulze is 21. She is from Kansas City and is studying Counselling Studies.

Kansas City is in Missouri, a state which has trigger laws in place which will ban abortions within a few weeks.

Christine informs us that residents from Missouri will have to travel to Minnesota, Colorado, or Illinois to get the necessary healthcare. All are long drives and “many people will not be able to afford the gas prices, childcare for other children, or to take that time away from work.”

As such “the ban puts those most at risk for unwanted pregnancies in an extremely difficult position.”

Christine is “terrified for my loved ones in America, everyone knows a victim of sexual assault and I am no exception.” She goes on to say how “rather than being able to process their trauma from this experience, survivors will now have to worry about being forced to carry their rapist’s child to term”, which is something that could affect everybody.

When Christine’s partner asked her if she would ever consider moving back to America, she laughed, as she would “never be able to feel safe in a country that would force pregnancy upon me.”

*Some names have been changed for anonymity reasons. 

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If you have been impacted by this story you can visit Chalmers Sexual Health website here, or the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre here. 

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