The Notorious RBG. She was a cultural enigma and a feminist icon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on September 18 was another of 2020’s cruel jokes on America. People mourn her loss for many reasons. Her death, however, also  paves the way for President Donald Trump to name a new Justice, which he did in the form of Amy Coney Barrett. For Republicans, she is the answer to many of their prayers. For many Democrats, she represents an uncertain future, especially for the Roe vs Wade decision. Liberals fear that she will be the final vote needed to overturn the case and that states will then be allowed to make their own decisions thus potentially making it so more conservative states will be able to outlaw abortions outright. 

I am a senior in high school who believes that women should have ultimate say in what happens to their bodies. However, I also do not agree with late term abortions. I worry about what is going to happen if Barrett is seated on the Supreme Court. In 2019, from January through May, there were 42 new restrictions put into place on abortions. While some make sense, others appear to be conservative attempts to take away more of a woman’s voice in the decision of whether or not to end a pregnancy. With Barrett’s appointment, things could get worse.

I worry overturning Roe vs Wade will end up putting more people’s lives at risk, especially women in poverty, minorities, and teens who may be forced to find illegal means of terminating an unwanted pregnancy. Plus, many of us cannot help but live in a state whose majority population does not align with our own political and moral beliefs. Women will be forced to leave their own home states if their governments decide to ban abortions. How is this fair and how does this represent an equitable nation? 

Women should not lose their voices because of the death of a Supreme Court Justice. We should not lose control of our bodies. We are not forcing men to have vasectomies until they are prepared to birth a child. We wouldn’t take away their rights so why should ours be eliminated? I hope that Barrett remembers this if she is officially appointed to the Court. She is a woman. Her voice needs to speak for all of the women she represents.