Sexual And Reproductive Rights : Human Rights

What subject has been more controversial for the last several decades than abortion? Since the decriminalization of abortion in 19731, thousands have been performed every year in the United States. Whether you are a pro-life or right-to-life supporter, or a pro-choice advocate, there are compelling arguments. Both sides use proven statistics, as well as emotional appeal to establish their points. Pro-choice groups speak to the rights of a woman to choose what she wants to do with her body as a matter of freedom. Aside from personal choice, they believe that there are certain circumstances where abortion may be required due to medical reasons. Pro-life proponents

In the news article “Abortion: Every Woman’s Rights” Sharon Smith wrote an article about women’s rights to get abortions prior to the hearing of the Planned Parenthood v. Casey court case, “which threatened to severely restrict women access to abortion” (Smith). Women wanted reproductive control over their lives and felt that they were not equal to men no matter what advances they got at work and how high their level of education was. The women’s right movement wanted women to have the choice of abortion for all women, the rich and the poor. In the US, thirty- seven states did not provide

Abortion has been and still is one of the most controversial topics in American culture. The reason for the controversy is the different viewpoints of this very personal matter. Some believe that abortion is the same as murder. Others believe it’s a personal choice which only they have the right to make. Due to the nature of the procedure and the concerns associated with ending a pregnancy, abortion will continue to top the list of “touchy” subjects in American politics and culture. As a pro-choice advocate, it is important for the right to have an abortion to be established and protected.

Civil liberties are basic freedoms granted to individuals in the Bill of Rights. Individual freedom can survive only under a system of law by which both the supreme and the governed are bound. Such a system of fundamental laws, Civil rights are constitutional guarantees, which mean they are granted to individuals with the body of the Constitution in the form of amendments. Many civil rights were granted after the Constitution was written, but civil liberties were included in the Constitution since their adoption in the Bill of Rights in 1791.

Webster defines civil liberty as a freedom from arbitrary governmental interference specifically by denial of governmental power, and in the United States especially as guaranteed by the bill of rights. Civil liberties are the basic rights, and freedoms that are due to every American citizen. More than often, civil liberties and civil rights are often used synonymously, but those terms are very distinct. A civil rights violation happens during designated situations where a person is discriminated against based on physical characteristics. However, civil liberties deal with basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed within the Bill of Rights and U.S constitution, inferred over the years by courts, and legislatures. Although, there are many liberties outlined within the United States constitution freedom of speech will be expounded upon.

Civil Rights In the U.S. most use the terms Civil Liberties and Civil Rights interchangeably; although they both protect the freedom of citizens they do this in different ways. 2 Civil Liberties are limitations placed on the government. These are things the government is restricted to do, by the constitution. Things that could interfere with personal freedom. 3 For example, the 1st amendment says that no law can be made establishing a set religion. (Course, 2015) Therefore no laws can be made pertaining to a set religion. Civil liberties can be seen as broader laws, placed against the government. 2 Whereas Civil Rights are almost like curbs

The battle for reproductive rights began well over a hundred years ago. At a time when families were producing more children than they could afford to feed, many women were seeking primitive forms of birth control and undergoing abortions. It was in the 1860s that a postal inspector turned politician named Anthony Comstock, in partnership with the Young Men’s Christian Association, set out on a crusade to condemn all forms of birth control and any kind of abortion by claiming they violated “anti-obscenity laws” (Baer). These men eventually succeeded and created the Comstock Laws in 1873 that prohibited all “sales, advertising, or information on birth control” (Baer).

Definitions Civil liberties refer to the fundamental freedoms and rights that are secured by the constitution, or the Bill of Rights. They also refer to safeguards against the authority actions. For instance, the First Amendment assures citizens the freedom to exercise their preferred religion (Patterson, 2014). Therefore, the government cannot hamper the rights of an individual to worship. In this respect, the individual has liberty from government’s activities.

The Women’s March on January 21, 2017 also stirred the emotions of American citizens, for different reason. The vast response to the March throughout the country left some wondering why such action was needed, when women’s rights have come such a long way from when the US was founded. Those unware of the March’s mission are likely unaware that it was centered around many principles including: ending violence, LQBTQIA rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant rights, environmental justice, and reproductive rights (Women’s March, 2017). The focus on reproductive right’s centered on reproductive freedom and an access to quality reproductive healthcare services, birth control, HIV/AIDS care and prevention, medically accurate sexuality education, and access to safe, legal, affordable abortion (Women’s March,2017). Access to abortion is an issue that varies state to state, similar to the issue of gun regulation.

Women’s rights have always been underestimated. One aspect of women’s rights that receives a lot of attention is reproductive rights. Often times, people think of reproductive rights and automatically think of abortion, but, reproductive rights can include many things like abortion and birth control/ contraceptives, etc. Although reproductive rights are for both men and women, women often have a harder time exercising their rights. The famous 1973 case of Roe v. Wade made history in women’s reproductive rights by legalizing abortion, its efforts for abortion to not be criminalized were reached and allowed women to receive abortions without being criminalized. Yet, since 1973 there has been many efforts that set up undue burdens which have strained the rights of many women. There have been many social groups that work towards both side of the spectrum of reproductive rights like: Pro-Choice and Pro-Life. Campaigns, which work as political or social organizers that strive towards achieving a particular thing or area, have made the efforts to fight for the reproductive rights that they believe in. Furthermore, there are many key campaigns that work towards a specific aspect of reproductive rights. For example, Planned Parenthood Action typically fights for birth control, while NRLA usually fights for the rights of women to be able to decided if they want the abortion or not, the National Right to Life (NRLC) fights for abortions to be illegal and tries to influence people into

Since the 1960s, the fight to receive accessible and affordable abortions has been a largely controversial issue in the United States. The case Roe v. Wade was the climax of that fight, for “the Court held that... only a pregnant woman and her doctor have the legal right to make the decision about an abortion” (“History of Abortion”). Although Roe v. Wade ultimately made abortions legal in the States, there are still setbacks for affordable and accessible abortions today, and many of these conflicts may be directly traced to state-by-state determination of abortion laws.

The establishment of Planned Parenthood began in 1916 as a necessary push for women’s justices. For the past one-hundred years, it has united women in a quest for secure reproductive rights and equality. From the opening of the first birth control clinic to the legalization of abortion and discovery of the birth control pill, Planned Parenthood has advocated heavily for the choices and privacy of women. The reproductive rights Planned Parenthood protects are those that allow women the right to choose contraception, plan a family, terminate a pregnancy if necessary, and receive reproductive health advice and service. Currently, Planned Parenthood receives governmental funding through the Affordable Care Act, Title X, and Medicaid,

In 1973, the US Supreme Court declared abortion a nationwide fundamental right through a trial called Roe vs. Wade and protected this right underneath the Fourteenth Amendment, more specifically, the right to privacy. A basic human right, especially one outlined by the Supreme Court, must never run at risk or threat chiefly because not everyone agrees with it. Under no circumstances should a pregnancy ever adjudge mandatory. Abortion is a Constitutional right and as a nation we must fight to give the right and freedom of safe abortions to women all around the nation, make birth control and sex education accessible to women, and raise awareness about the topic itself. (LawCornell)

Women’s reproductive rights are a global issue in today’s world. Women have to fight to have the right to regulate their own bodies and reproductive choices, although in some countries their voices are ignored. Abortion, sterilization, contraceptives, and family planning services all encompass this global issue of women’s reproductive rights.

Abortion has been one of the hottest topics concerning women’s health care and reproductive rights. Tune into any presidential debate and you’ll notice candidates spending as much time discussing the topic as immigration, foreign policy, climate change, and gun control. There are a lot of misconceptions about the pro-choice movement but it can be explained in very simple terms. Being pro-choice does not mean pro-abortion, it simply means accepting that women have the choice to choose what they do with their bodies, not the government or anyone else. I believe strongly in this issue and believe that we should look at our past and not go back to a time where women did not have the same rights as men over their bodies. We are trying to become equal, not return to an era of submission. No man or government should have the power to control a women’s body; every person has a right to his/her own body. Abortion should be kept an easy, accessible, safe, and legal option for all women regardless of beliefs. We should be taking strides forward toward equality, not steps back. In the mid-twentieth century, second wave feminists saw major struggles of women and sought to radically improve and change the security of women and reproductive rights. We have fought hard for many of the rights we have today, but everyday we are challenged by those who want to oppose and erase our efforts.