Finally Experiencing Freedom

The experience of a Georgia girl in a state which actively protects women

by Allyn Tucker | Design by Emma Hill

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of women and the freedom of choice; after the anonymous Jane Roe’s threeyear legal battle, Roe v. Wade allowed women to experience the beauty of freedom. However, it’s now 2023 and the fight for bodily autonomy, defined as the right to govern one’s own body, is back on. For 29 years, lawmakers and citizens alike knew the deal. There was plenty of argument among political parties and organizations, but the law was the law: abortion was protected under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision remains one of the most landmark decisions in the history of this country. In the court’s majority opinion, they stated that a woman’s right to an abortion is protected under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and a state law which infringes upon this right without regard to the woman’s stage of pregnancy is unconstitutional, according to Oyez. In a 7-2 split in favor of Roe, the Supreme Court secured a woman’s right to bodily autonomy.

I grew up in Georgia, and despite the state’s deep south reputation, I absolutely loved every minute of it. Whether you’re thinking about civil rights, music, or art, Atlanta is undeniably a city full of culture. I can confidently say that I would not trade my hometown experience for anything, but there was always one fear in the back of my mind: if the federal government did not protect the woman’s right to choose, my state’s government would do everything in its power to infringe upon that right.

To nobody’s surprise, my fear came to fruition late last year. When a licensed abortion clinic in Mississippi filed a lawsuit in response to the state’s new abortion restrictions, the case took four long years to move all the way from district court to the Supreme Court. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that Roe v. Wade lacked ground in Constitutional text and precedence. Following Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Mississippi abortion restrictions stood, and the national abortion scene was completely shaken. The right to an abortion was no longer protected by the federal government.

The Georgia state legislature signed the “Fetal Heartbeat” bill into law in 2019, three years before abortion precedent in the United States changed. The bill prevented abortion past the six-week mark in a woman’s pregnancy, which is the time a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The bill disproportionately affects women of color and those in low-income communities, who “are least able to access medical care and least able to overcome the cruelties of this law,” according to an abortion lawsuit filed by the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. The minute Roe v. Wade lost precedence in the United States was the minute my state had the right to place these disgusting restrictions on the women of Georgia. I, like most women in conservative states, was scared. Society was moving in the wrong direction.

Only 20 years ago my mom had the freedom to make a medical decision that best benefitted her personal health. Two years prior, my parents almost lost both children in the premature birth of twins.

After realizing she was carrying twins again, she, along with a a medical professional, decided that she could not safely carry both.

“[The decision] was very hard, but I am glad we made it. I was able to carry our daughter to 38 weeks and she was born healthy,” my mom said. “I am very thankful that this happened in a time when we, with the support of our doctors, were free to make our decision.”

Having the right to a safe abortion stripped away was tolling on both me and my mom. “It is really upsetting that the legislature in the state of Georgia thinks it should be able to determine what is best for women’s health over women and their doctors,” she added. “It makes me really angry that, should my daughters move back to Atlanta, they would have to leave the state for medical care in the same situation I was in.”

Amid all my fear, I moved to Massachusetts. Sometimes, I miss the fight; after all, there’s beauty in such a strong group of people banding together for our freedom. There is nothing quite as powerful and inspiring as an angry woman. The problem is, that the fighting never ends. Whether the issue is gun control, racial justice, or women’s rights, there is no peace at home. Although I can never completely relax in my safe-haven state while there are thousands of people who don’t have the same option to leave, Boston has been a breath of fresh air.

One thing I did not realize about Boston University before making my decision to attend was the university’s deep rooted dedication

to reproductive health and freedom. Attending the Students for Reproductive Freedom’s Plan B relaunch party opened my eyes to the safety net Boston University provides to sexually active students. The night was complete with special guest Ayanna Pressley, representative for Massachusetts 7th congressional district, who voiced her support for the progressive efforts of the club and the university.

The relaunch party showed me that reproductive rights were not only accepted but also celebrated at Boston University. There was an environment of happiness and freedom surrounding reproductive rights that night that I had never experienced before. No matter their personal choices, it was a beautiful celebration of all reproducing people.

Beyond the Plan B vending machine on the basement floor of the GSU, Boston University also provides all types of condoms through Student Health Services. The “Condom Fairy” allows sexually active students to discreetly practice safe sex habits. Instead of shaming students, the university allows for them to make personal decisions safely.

Moving from the South to Massachusetts, I have learned how to live without the terror of my stripped-away freedoms. From my safe haven at Boston University, I will continue Georgians’ fight to give reproducing people the ability to experience the beauty of bodily autonomy that I have grown accustomed to.