Trigger warnings: This article discusses abortion, miscarriage, and sexual assault, and discusses invasive anti-trans legislation and mentions racist brutality.

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court, in Dobbs v. Jackson, a 6-3 majority ruling, reversed Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood. Ten years ago, I would have been elated by this decision. Now, ten years later, I’m much more mixed in my feelings. I still am very much a proponent for universal basic human rights that extend to the unborn, and that a just government is one that protects such rights. However, my understanding of how complex an issue this works out to be in practice, and what’s involved in supporting life, has grown considerably. Even as recent as a few months ago, I found that I was shamefully ignorant of how there are aspects to how pro-life policies can harm even women who want to keep a pregnancy but are faced with miscarriage or debilitating effects on their health. And while I am fiercely opposed the reprehensible evil that is abortion as birth control, that zeal is mixed with a deep compassion and sympathy for women who are trapped by social-economic circumstances, are trapped by law to remain in dangerous abusive relationships, who are faced with debilitating tolls on their body from a pregnancy they didn’t even want, who are trapped in shame and despair and see no way out. As a cis-male, unwanted or dangerous pregnancy is impossible for me and so I can never fully understand or empathize with such situations. And I’m also not sure how, if at all, pro-life this Court decision is. While ending Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood was good, was this particular decision any better than what it has replaced? I’m skeptical. Additionally, given precedent of anti-abortion legislation, it is certain that many women whose lives are endangered by their pregnancy, who have miscarriages, are going to suffer and die in many states. There is a very likely possibility that physicians will lose their medical licenses or even face prosecution. The heavy hand of the state is not only frequently unjust and unmerciful but often careless or deeply misguided even when well intentioned.

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