An individual’s right to have control over their own body has always been a topic of debate in the United States, especially the bodily control of individuals with uteri. Their ability to get an abortion, take birth control and make basic decisions for their own health has always been governed and restricted by various levels of government.

When the Supreme Court first ruled on Roe v. Wade, it was a bright light for many people across the U.S. because finally, they were able to be in control of themselves. According to Gallup News, 53% of Americans view Roe v. Wade’s decision from 30 years ago positively, with only 30% viewing it negatively. They were able to make the right decision for their own life, not have their path chosen for them. It was a sign that the courts recognized that nobody’s body should be controlled by someone else. It was a sign of hope.

June 24, 2022, however, the Supreme Court overturned Roe with Dobbs v. Jackson and returned abortion regulation back to the states. This set people with uteri’s rights to bodily control back decades.

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This decision promptly halted abortion access in Wisconsin and reinstated an 1849 law ruling that it is a felony to provide an abortion unless it would prevent the death of the pregnant person, according to the Cap Times.

Dobbs v. Jackson showed people across America that their health and safety isn’t a priority for the U.S. Supreme Court. It showed that the separation of church and state has crumbled within the American government and that politics have become a religion, with religious morals governing our nation.

A law made in 1849 being brought into 2023 is ridiculous. It takes Wisconsin back to a time where women and people of color couldn’t own property or vote. Those in the 21st century world should not be living like it’s the 19th. Thankfully, the Wisconsin Department of Justice immediately filed a lawsuit to challenge this ruling and restore abortion rights.

As a result of that lawsuit, Planned Parenthood is resuming operation in parts of Wisconsin after a ruling from the Dane County Circuit Court.

This makes it so that Planned Parenthood’s services are in fact legal and are able to garner the support of many Wisconsin politicians — even Gov. Tony Evers — according to AP News. This decision will also help to justify Planned Parenthood’s operation before the legality of abortion reaches the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

This critical ruling is a huge step in the right direction because now Wisconsinites will have much greater access to getting the help they need and the health care that has been missing for over a year.

It also goes to show that Wisconsin leaders who are in support of Planned Parenthood reopening are looking out for the health of citizens instead of treating abortion like a political bargaining chip. They realized that the well being of people heavily outweighs the Republican outcry resulting from resumed access to abortion.

Planned Parenthood is giving individuals with uteri a semblance of control over their livelihood and their bodies. The government should not have a say in the personal health decisions of American citizens.

The restrictions on healthcare for people with uteri caused by the Dobbs decision had many effects, including increased maternal mortality and morbidity and a feeling of fear in healthcare settings, according to an article from Human Rights Watch.

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People with uteri who absolutely cannot bring a child into this world might turn to other, less safe forms of abortion, according to Harvard School of Public Health professor Ana Langer.

The ruling on the 1849 law differentiating feticide and abortion is a key piece of terminology that could potentially be applied to other states who are also held by an ancient law to ban abortions.

Nobody, especially those who will never truly understand the effect that being pregnant has on one’s mind and body, should be able to force a person with a uterus into carrying a child to term. People with uteri have the absolute right to govern their own bodies and that right should never be questioned, much less regulated.

Sammie Garrity ([email protected]) is a freshman studying journalism and political science.