Young Women Take Abortion Rights For Granted
August 1, 2011 No Comments
Since the beginning of 2011, nearly a dozen laws have been passed that limit a woman’s right to an abortion. Women are fighting back, but they need help. There seems to be a lack of passion and fury in today’s reproductive rights activists, and there may be a reason why: we don’t know what is at stake.
Generations X and Y have grown up in a magical, post Roe v. Wade world. We have always had the option of abortion in the back of our heads, whether we agree with it or not. Most of us have never felt the fear and desperation that led older generations to choose illegal abortion methods that were harmful or even deadly. We are taking our abortion rights for granted, and losing them because of it.
We have tools that older generations of activists did not. The Internet, social media, email — all of these things can be used to unify and mobilize young women (and men) who are pro-choice. Petitions can be sent through emails and letters can be sent directly to a politician’s inbox.
But we need to step up in order to keep the choice that our grandmothers fought hard for. No one is going to do it for us.
Contact the author here: jennY@morningquickie.com
