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Forty-two years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided on Roe v. Wade. But the fight for a woman to make the best decision for her and her family hasn't showed any signs of slowing down, neither have state legislatures.
Earlier this year the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks legislation on reproductive rights, reported that 231 abortion restrictions were enacted over the past four years.
These abortion restrictions passed by lawmakers, who are largely male, are waging a war on women and what is often a difficult decision to make.
In recent years, women in Wisconsin seeking access to a safe and legal abortion has drawn controversy like no other medical procedure. Many lawmakers, including Gov. Walker, have demonstrated that we're living in a state that is hostile towards women of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, some of Wisconsin’s most controversial laws that were recently enacted were:
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling that includes information designed to discourage her from having an abortion and then wait 24 hours before the procedure is provided. Counseling must be provided in person and must take place before the waiting period begins, thereby necessitating two separate trips to the facility.
- Health plans that will be offered in the state’s health exchange under the Affordable Care Act can only cover abortion when the woman’s life is endangered, her physical health is severely compromised, rape or incest.
- The parent of a minor must consent before an abortion is provided.
- Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest when necessary to prevent long-lasting damage to the woman’s physical health.
- A woman must undergo an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion; the provider must show and describe the image to the woman.
Wisconsin's abortion restrictions haven’t been as harsh as those in states like California, Texas and Arkansas, but little by little, the wheels are turning and funds have dried up for clinics across the state.
In 2013, five Planned Parenthood clinics in rural areas closed their doors and referred nearly 3,100 patients to nearby locations, which opens the door to a whole host of other issues for patients, including transportation and time.
My decision-making ability is being taken away in Wisconsin and it – along with hostility and invasion of our reproductive rights – presents a real danger to our society. Despite the motto "Forward Wisconsin," the state is showing signs of slipping more and more back to the pre-Roe v. Wade era.
"I think we still have an opportunity to think of Wisconsin as being a good place for women and girls, everyone deserves access to high quality, affordable care," said Nicole Safar, policy director at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
With a new legislative session underway, if the past three years are any indication, we can bet that reproductive justice issues will arise on the floor of the State Capitol and spill out and over into communities that span the state. I, for one will keep a watchful eye on what is introduced at the Capitol, because I know my vote and my family depends on it.
Johnson graduated from Cardinal Stritch University in 2010 with a degree in English. While at Stritch, she was the managing copy editor of the student-run newspaper. Johnson resides in Milwaukee and has a 4-year-old son named Elijah. In their spare time, they enjoy playing at the parks and reading at the public library. They also adopted their cat Lilly on Dec. 24, 2013.
