By Anette Perez
Trinity Times Correspondent

Laws affecting women in the United States have been debated, changed and evolved since the nation’s founding nearly 250 years ago. For students at Trinity Washington University enrolled in the “Women and the Law” course, recent changes to abortion rights are at the forefront of their studies.

Abortion has been a mobilizing issue for women across the country since the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that had granted a constitutional right to abortion nationwide. 

The Dobbs decision eliminated that federal protection and led to bans and restrictions in several states, though the debate over the procedure remains far from settled.

“It’s definitely gotten more polarized,” said Cuaresma Gillard, a senior enrolled in History Professor Joshua Wright’s course. “I feel like for us, moving forward as a country, it’s going to be one of the main topics that people vote on. In these upcoming elections, midterms or the big election in 2028, it’s going to be an issue for a lot of voters and a lot of women in this country.”

Still, Gillard and other students in the class are learning that while abortion may motivate voters, it doesn’t always translate into consistent support for individual candidates. 

An analysis of the 2024 U.S. election showed that among the two-thirds of voters who said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 28% voted for former President Donald Trump, who identified as a pro-life candidate. Yet, seven of 10 state ballot initiatives protecting abortion rights passed that same year. Florida’s initiative failed, but still received a clear majority, just short of the 60% supermajority required in that state.

Wright’s class explores the implications of Dobbs and broader historical and legal contexts surrounding reproductive rights.

“Before the Dobbs decision and this class, I believed that abortion should have limitations, but I didn’t fully understand where that placed me on the political or ideological spectrum,” said Constantine Dukes, a junior majoring in criminal justice. “Now, I view abortion as a deeply moral issue, not just a political one.”

While some states have enforced strict abortion bans and imposed penalties on those assisting women seeking out-of-state abortions, others have passed ballot measures to protect access.

In Washington, D.C., abortion remains legal at any stage of pregnancy. There are no waiting periods or counseling requirements before the procedure.

“Abortion is definitely one of the most heated and debated topics in the United States today,” Wright said. “The history of abortion is a complicated and long story.”

Pro-life advocates believe life begins at conception and view the fetus as a human being with inherent rights, including the right to life. From this perspective, abortion is considered morally wrong because it ends a potential future.

Pro-choice supporters, meanwhile, emphasize bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom, asserting that individuals have the right to make personal decisions about their own bodies, including whether to continue a pregnancy.

Wright noted that in colonial America, there was no government intervention in reproductive decisions. By the 1800s and early 1900s, both government figures and Catholic leaders began to voice opposition to abortion.

Abortion restrictions date back to the 1873 Comstock Act, a federal law that banned mailing or transporting materials deemed obscene — including information on contraception and abortion. Further restrictions spread after World War II.

It wasn’t until 1973 that Roe v. Wade established abortion rights under the 14th Amendment. That ruling came just two years after the first woman in the U.S. was criminally charged for having an abortion. Roe stood for nearly 50 years before it was overturned in June 2022.

“I believe that after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and with the current [Trump] administration, reproductive rights are at risk,” said Nydja Chiazor, a sophomore majoring in journalism and media studies. “I’ve only become way more radical about my beliefs.”

Students like Chiazor and Dukes have been actively engaged in class discussions about how court rulings impact women’s rights and access to care.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, 28.4% of voters aged 18 to 24 cast a ballot in 2022. While modest, it marked a higher turnout than past generations in their first midterm election.

“The Dobbs v. Jackson case did light a fire under young voters,” said Chiazor, who has canvassed for Planned Parenthood. “In the most recent election, Gen Z was really, really outgoing about their opinions, and they weren’t shy about it at all.”

Although bans were expected to lower abortion rates, U.S. News & World Report noted an increase since Dobbs. CDC data show both birth and infant mortality rates have also risen. Experts say women seeking abortions will often continue to do so — sometimes risking their health — due to unsafe or unsustainable pregnancies.

Without federal standards, access to reproductive healthcare now depends largely on location. Most abortion-related legal battles since Dobbs have played out in lower courts.

The decision also raises questions about how Congress will handle women’s issues moving forward. With Republicans holding both houses of Congress — but lacking the supermajority to pass national abortion bans — and Democrats short on votes to codify abortion rights, the issue could dominate the 2026 midterm elections.

“I realized that it’s not just about me, and it’s not necessarily about abortion rights,” Chiazor said. “It’s about our freedoms [as women] and the right to control what happens over our bodies.”