Today, I’m reflecting on the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and our current fight for our basic bodily autonomy, our healthcare, our freedom. This landmark Supreme Court ruling guarantees access to safe and legal abortions, but many states, including Arkansas, have been chipping away at it in the name of “life” and protecting the “unborn,” passing laws in hopes that the SCOTUS will overturn it.
Despite what our lawmakers may believe, passing laws to ban abortions will not stop abortions: those who are wealthy enough will travel to wherever it is legal, while those who aren’t will resort to much more unsafe methods. If we are serious about reducing the number of abortions, then our focus should be on prevention. Comprehensive sex education should be offered in our schools, and contraception should be readily available to those who need it.
There also needs to be a focus on ensuring good outcomes for our state’s mothers, as they need proper healthcare before and after birth to ensure a healthy baby, especially if there are any complications. Mental healthcare is also needed for an often unstated illness: post-partum depression. Mothers also need the resources to raise a healthy child – food security, child healthcare, education. When these concerns are addressed, perhaps Arkansas won’t rank as one of the worst states when it comes to maternal mortality and childhood poverty.
If Arkansas is truly a pro-life state, we need to care just as much about a life out of a womb as much as in the womb. We need to care about children and the elderly in poverty. We need to care about those with disabilities, the homeless, veterans. We need to care for our neighbors and do our part in eradicating a pandemic that was preventable.
When elected to the state senate, I will fight for our lives, our children’s lives, our parents’, grandparents’, and neighbors’ lives. I have always felt being pro-life should mean caring for the life of everyone and having a basic human trait: empathy, and I hope you do too.
If you agree with me and want to join the fight for life, liberty, and love, consider donating to my campaign: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/chenoa4ar
featured image from https://www.kait8.com/2021/10/03/reproductive-rights-march-held-downtown-jonesboro/