Roe decision turns 50: Dividing lines on abortion rights issue remain intact

The landmark Supreme Court ruling made it legal at the federal level for a woman to get an abortion. However, the case was overturned last summer, which gave states legal control.

News 12 Staff

Jan 22, 2023, 9:48 PM

Updated 630 days ago

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The dividing lines are still drawn on the issue of abortion as the nation marked 50 years since the overturned 1973 Supreme Court decision that guaranteed women the right to make that decision.
The landmark Supreme Court ruling made it legal at the federal level for a woman to get an abortion. However, the case was overturned last summer, which gave states legal control.
Abortions are still protected by law in New York state, where the battle lines continue to be drawn between supporters of abortion rights and those who support the right to life - such as Eileen Peterson, of the Rockland County Catholic Coalition.
"There is no denying the humanity in the womb. So we need to be there to support girls and women in crisis pregnancies so that no one suffers the ultimate of all domestic violence, which is abortion," Peterson said.
Vince Russell is the CEO of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Inc. The organization works to "empower individuals to determine their own sexual health and reproductive futures." The organization advocates for accessible, and safe abortions.
"Abortion is common, it is a myth that abortions are rare. Nearly one in four women in America will have an abortion by the age of 45. Everyone's personal decision about their pregnancy should be respected and valued," Russell said.
The White House also weighed in on the issue. President Joe Biden issued a presidential memorandum to ensure that doctors can prescribe and dispense abortion medication throughout the country.
State Sen. Shelley Mayer released a statement Sunday about Roe v. Wade. She said in part, "In the seven months since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision struck Roe down, people across the country have lost access to reproductive healthcare...As a result, this generation has fewer rights over their reproductive health than generations before. We cannot afford to go back in time."
In her statement, Mayer also touched upon a bill she just introduced last week, which would provide clear protections to New York state doctors and medical providers who serve patients seeking abortions.