Abortion has been a controversial political subject in the United States for decades now. The practice was illegal for much of the country's history, only to be formalized with a Supreme Court ruling.
As evidenced by recent news out of Florida though, that was hardly the end of it.
It hasn't been signed into law, but Florida lawmaker Rep. Mike Hill (R) has introduced bill HB-235, which would make it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion if a hearbeat can be detected in a fetus.
Two years ago, Florida lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at banning abortions past the 20-week mark, but that bill failed to gain traction and was shot down early on in the process.
“My oath said that I would protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Hill said of his legislation, "Life being the first one." He went on to say that unborn babies should have rights.
The 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade is one of the most noteworthy high court decisions in history, as it gave all U.S. women the right to access abortion services.
Needless to say, the Florida decision is controversial.
The foremost defender of reproductive rights in the United States, Planned Parenthood's Kimberley Scott called the Florida heartbeat bill "the most dangerous bill that we have seen for reproductive health in the Florida legislature."
Supreme Court rulings are supposed to be binding, as it's the highest court in the land. But in nearly half a century since Roe v. Wade, the ruling has been chipped away at time and time again.
In Utah, for instance, abortion is legal, just like it is in every other state. The problem is that the vast state has so few abortion clinics that it's extremely difficult to access abortion services.
In Arizona, a controversial bill requires doctors to treat fetuses "born alive" during abortions. Considering "born alive" is the language of lawmakers and not health professionals, it makes things ambiguous and confusing.
Rather than being something that's rare, abortions are common. Statistics show that one in three American women will have an abortion before the age of 45. Statistically, that means that most Americans probably know someone who's had an abortion.
Abortion opponents often argue that legalized abortion will cause women to de-value childbirth. But, ask anyone who's had an abortion and they'll tell you that it was a hearbreakingly difficult decision and a traumatic experience.
Consider this: if you could snap your fingers and make abortions illegal, they wouldn't stop happening. They'd simply be pushed onto the black market, which would drastically effect health outcomes.
Abortions will happen one way or another — so ultimately, a way forward that gives women full access to health services and control over their bodies is the most responsible strategy.
