English Composition 2
26 May 2019
With the reversing of bills involving reproductive rights, are women’s rights as a whole in
danger?
I chose this topic for my research assignment because I feel that it is one of the newer
and more prominent issues in the US today. Everywhere you look there is a new story regarding
abortion. New laws such as the heartbeat bill are taking away the freedoms that women have
become familiar with and dependent on for years. People in positions of authority feel that they
have the right to control what women get to do with their bodies and I am very interested in
seeing the different sides of this argument. I also feel strongly about this subject because I have
a hormonal disorder that has the high potential to affect my ability to carry a child to term. It
hurts and concerns me to think about the challenges I, along with other women with similar
conditions as myself, may face to due the alterations and possible eradications of the laws our
nation has put in place in order for women to have the final say over their own bodies. I also feel
strongly about this subject because I believe that many people involve their religious beliefs in
this topic, but there absolutely needs to be a separation between church and state. As a
Christian I acknowledge that not everyone shares my beliefs and that is the beauty of living in a
country where religion and values are not forced upon us, nor should they have any effect on
government actions.
I feel angry towards this topic because I feel like it is common knowledge that we cannot
and should not try to control the bodies of others. I feel angry that people attack women for
making the best choice for their lives, their bodies, and their health. Without doing the research,
I feel that the choices made about women’s reproductive rights will affect women’s rights as a
whole. I feel this way because a lot of these decisions seem to come from a thirst for power and
control, and despite the advances our society has made towards equality, there are many
people that still believe that women are inferior and do not deserve the right to make their own
decisions. I believe that a fetus is a fetus and a baby is a baby, so I should not even need to
write about why I am angry and worried about this issue. I also believe that we are all created as
equal beings with equal rights and equal opportunities. I already know that abortions are often
necessary for a variety of instances and many of them are not covered within these new bills.
For example, the new heartbeat bill that was passed in Ohio does not make any exceptions for
cases of rape or incest, which means that women may be forced to have lifelong contact with
their rapists and children will suffer potential trauma, neglect, and birth defects that come from
incestual pregnancies.
Some things I still need to learn about this subject include what states are actively
reversing bills involving women’s reproductive health and exactly what limits are being put forth
as law. I feel that I should also do more research about Roe v. Wade and what life was like
before the monumental case. Knowing more background about the issue years ago can
potentially give me more insight on the topic to form a more educated opinion.