How Women Will Have Abortions Now
Because, rest assured, they will have them.
Exactly one year ago, I was in Ireland, reporting on the referendum on abortion. Through heated debates, the country was deciding whether or not to repeal a constitutional amendment which made a fetus worth more than a woman, outlawing abortion in practically all cases. Repeal won a landslide victory — 67% in favour, to 33% against.
It felt good. It felt like one of the most restrictive countries for abortion was moving forwards. Catching up with history.
One year later, the US is on an opposite trajectory.
State governments across the Midwest and Deep South are on a course to completely ban abortion. Yesterday it was Alabama, last week Georgia, in the coming days, it could be Mississipi, Ohio, Kentucky…
It is terrifying because we already know what is going to happen next — all we have to do is look at countries like Ireland, where abortion bans have already been in place.
Women won’t stop having abortions, because women have agency and ambitions and know whether they want to have babies, when, how, with whom.
Women will not stop having abortions, because they, at least, know they are more than baby incubation booths.
