Following Friday’s Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade — overturning the decision and returning the issue of abortion to the states — many have come out with either overwhelming praise or swift condemnation.
Giuliana Locay, a Florida woman who said she supports the ruling, told News 6 that she believes abortion laws shouldn’t be determined by the federal government.
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“I do (agree), only because I don’t think it’s a federal issue. I think it’s definitely a state one, and we should have control of legislative issues,” she said.
After going through the ups-and-downs of becoming a mother, Locay said it’s easier for her to understand the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the issue.
“When I was a younger woman... I always thought the idea that especially early-term abortion the first few weeks, it should be OK,” she said. “It should be the choice of the woman.”
But after struggling to become pregnant and going through two in-vitro fertilizations, she’s now mother to a 10-week-old baby boy — an achievement that she said changed her perspective on abortion.
“I think I’ve become softer on the issue because I’ve seen what a miracle this life is,” she said.
Locay added that she feels the need to vote for lawmakers to effect policies that reflect her views on the matter.
“If I want abortion to a certain point... then I need to make sure that I’m electing and voting for local officials who will enforce those kind of rules,” she said. “And not at the federal level.”
Others, such as President of Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery Jennie Joseph, are upset over how the ruling turned out.
“This is such a blow to our ability to widen the access, increase the opportunity for people to have health choices, a healthy outcome and to have their human rights respected,” she said.
Joseph said she believes abortion is another function of health care for women.
“This is an issue of health care, just like any other issue, whether it’s cancer or heart disease,” she said. “We are not legislating how people proceed through those healthcare choices and decisions.”