The battle over choice

In 1973, the Supreme Court guaranteed American women the right to choose abortion with the landmark decision, Roe v. Wade. In Roe, the Court issued a compromise between the state’s ability to restrict abortion and a woman’s right to choose.

Since that time, the anti-choice movement has worked furiously to chip away at choice, with the ultimate goal of overturning the decision altogether. These are some of the battles currently being fought across the country:

• Violent tactics that intimidate doctors and patients
• Bans on safe abortion methods that protect women's health
• Restrictions on low-income women's access to abortion and other health care
• Dangerous laws that jeopardize young women's health and safety
• "Crisis pregnancy centers" that intentionally mislead women
• "Personhood" measures that would ban abortion
• Distortions of science to instill fear
• Restrictions on women's access to RU-486
• Refusal clauses that deny women basic health services 

Choice in Maryland

The good news is that Maryland is a pro-choice state! We get an "A” from NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Who Decides? and have several laws on the books to protect reproductive freedom. The bad news is that anti-choice forces are not deterred and work diligently to restrict access to reproductive health care. From so-called crisis pregnancy centers to clinic harassment, the anti-choice presence in our community cannot be denied. As the pro-choice majority, we must continue to protect choice and push for positive, pro-choice policies.