Texas Abortion Law and Its Other Ethical Issues
In the United States, abortion has been legal for over 50 years. However, given the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent refusal to block a controversial law in Texas, the second most populous state in the country, it has become much harder to access abortions in that state.
Recently introduced, the Texas Abortion Law makes it illegal to obtain an abortion after a heartbeat is detected — which usually happens around the 6th week of gestation, or the 4th week after conception, often before the pregnancy is realized — and places a $10,000 dollar reward for those willing to report or sue those who aid, perform, or get abortions. It also introduces the possibility of people filing false reports for reward money, and additionally, can have adverse effects on Texas’s healthcare and education systems.
In places throughout the world where abortion is illegal or there are strict laws against it, women tend to suffer from higher rates of low education and poverty. In addition, there are also larger gender wage gaps and less female representation in legislation, as well as fewer rules that make insurance cover hospital stays after childbirth. Often clinics that offer abortions eventually shut down, which means the many other services they provide—such as birth control, cancer screenings, vaccinations, routine checkups, etc.— are no longer made available to those who rely on those clinics. One way to deal with this issue, other than removing the restrictive law, could be to make all types of healthcare and education easily accessible in all places of the country and make healthcare and education free. While abortion would still be nearly illegal in Texas, some of the side effects of this law could be minimized.
Another key challenge the Texas Abortion Law presents is the obvious moral issue of encouraging private citizens to become bounty hunters. Citizens are now encouraged to report even just a suspicion that a person could be getting, performing, or assisting with an abortion. Vigilantism is encouraged for a reward of $10,000. There is no doubt that people will use this law for their personal financial advantage. One way to deal with this issue is to take away the $10,000 bounty and put the responsibility of enforcing the law in the hands of those who receive a salary for doing so. While this would not do nearly as much as overturning the law as a whole, it would decrease the amount of people reporting others just for the reward or to hurt others.
All in all, the Texas Abortion Law nearly illegalizes abortion, but is considered constitutional due to a legality. This law damages the healthcare and education systems of Texas and will affect more than just those who get or provide abortions. There are no true upsides to this law, and support for the people of Texas is more critical than ever in order to faciliate help for those in need of abortions, whether their pregnancy is a result of rape, incest, pedophilia, or is simply unwanted. Other states likely will adopt similar stances on abortion, and this will continue to erode women’s reproductive rights in our country. No state is unaffected by one state’s suffering. Similar laws have been proposed in Florida, South Dakota, Idaho, Indiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and other states, while some were rejected, others are still being considered. Abortion is a right everyone should have access to, don’t let the government take it away.
Abigail O’Connor is a freshman in high school. She is an activist and leftist who is passionate about many issues. She has lived in New York City her whole life. She lives with her mom, dad, twin sibling, younger sibling, and dog. It is her first year as a Next Generation Politics Civic Fellow.