New York Reproductive Health Act

Hailey Burkett, Staff Writer

On the 46th anniversary on Roe v. Wade, New York took a major leap in providing and protecting women’s reproductive rights. Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York signed the “New York’s Reproductive Health Act” which allows women to receive an abortion up to nine months in the pregnancy if “THE ABORTION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PATIENT’S LIFE OR HEALTH” or “THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF FETAL VIABILITY.” This is a huge leap in pro-choice activists’ efforts for abortion accessibility.

“Personally as a man, if my wife were to become pregnant and the birth of the baby would be the means of the end of her life I would not want her to keep it,” junior Colby Schmitt said.

The pro-choice movement began when Margaret Sanger started her long journey in founding Planned Parenthood. It started with “The Pill” and went on from there to become what it is today

Sanger treated many women who had undergone “home” abortions. She was sick of seeing these women going through unnecessary pain, so she started her journey to the invention of birth control. The process was a long hard road. With multiple arrests, hate, and put-downs. But Sanger had one big idea.

“Every child should be a wanted child,” Sanger said.

In 1952, Planned Parenthood was established, and in 1960 the food and drug administration approved “the pill.” From here, more and more milestones in women’s reproductive rights have passed. One of the most recent being the “New York Reproductive Health Act.”

More states have passed similar laws; however, there are still many more to go. There are things that can be done to help the effort of getting more states, including Texas to pass these laws and allow women the right to control their own bodies.

“A lot of conservative states can be close-minded and put religion into a lot of things,” junior Austin Smith said. “You could protest or call your state’s representative.”

Getting out there and taking small actions can lead to big changes. Going out in your community and spreading the word can later make a big help to women in these situations.