Post Roe v Wade World Reflections
I wrote the article Gen Z, Brands and Roe vs. Wade one month ago.
It’s infuriating being a woman in America, and the weight of this decision feels like its meant to crush all women but most importantly, Gen Z’s cis and non-binary women, as well as trans men. Reading the verdict in between flights was an experience I can only compare to when Michael Jackson died. Looking back it will be one of those things every American will remember exactly what was going
"America’s glass ceilings are completely full of fog, it’s only a matter of time before they’re covered in wire hangers, uterine linings and smoke."
on in that moment. I can’t not get pissed off trying to process the extent this will effect me, my communities, my generation. It seems endless.
In that moment of reading the verdict I felt shackled to the healthcare system. I felt every white doctor’s words circling around me like a dog collar. We are truly in the era of unthinkable occurrences, and there isn’t a damn story out now and in the near future that could ever top the weight pressing on my fallopian tubes. There will never be enough blood to shed in my cycles to smear on SCOTUS. To not have the right to cut my tubes for another 14 years, to live these 14 years in a constant state of anxiety and fear of being forced to possibly give birth to a dead fetus. To think of anyone of my family members having to choose between an unborn child’s life or mine, how could anyone want that for American citizens regardless of your beliefs?
This only adds to my lengthy list of reasons to be disgusted to be an American citizen, and I’d sell my soul to be in a country where I can have control over MY fucking body! It’s the basic premise that preceded the creation of human rights. What a hypocritical government system!! What they emphasized for us in history class about church being separate from state has always been bullshit—a ploy in the most psychologically gruesome ways.
How the f*ck can I function without knowing there are people watching me when I go in for my OBGYN appointments, or when I walk into planned parenthood to discuss birth control options. To be shamed for being “who god made me”. The looming obligation of being a woman in America, even in a blue state, is fucking terrifying. Turning back time as far as they’re able to. It all feels like a ruse— America’s glass ceilings are completely full of fog, it’s only a matter of time before they’re covered in wire hangers, uterine linings and smoke.
Gen Z, Brands, and Roe vs Wade
We explore Gen Z's views on abortion access, what they expect from brands, and why brands old 'no politics' policy is obsolete.
“Why is it that a conservative-leaning, male dominated, undiversified, number of Justices are to decide the fate of [est.] 170,008,000 women?”
In the 49 years that Roe v. Wade has been upheld America has drastically changed, but that doesn’t mean that a pregnant woman’s legal right to an abortion should be reversed. A body of 9 Justices, 6 out of 9 who are currently conservative leaning, are debating over a woman’s freedom to do what she wills with or to her body. There are 7.32 million more women in America than men [statistical numbers did not include the number of gender-nonconforming people], why is it that a conservative-leaning, male dominated, undiversified, number of Justices are to decide the fate of [est.] 170,008,000 women? It would be very selfish [and minuscule in a way] to use this space to share solely my opinions as a woman of Gen Z. So, I’d like to go about this a bit differently.
Over the past week I’ve asked a random group of 20 girls, boys, women, men, nonbinary/gender fluid, and trans people of Gen Z to respond to these two short questions:
1. How does Roe v. Wade affect you or the people in your life?
2. Who do you want to see support from? E.g., brands, businesses, or corporations
One thing is for sure, Gen Z understands how vital this decision is to how over half the population, if not the whole population, will be able to function within America. Below are some of the most poignant and thought-provoking responses I received, as well as my commentary on their responses.
“1. Roe v. Wade generally impacts any woman--all women, not just in my life but all over. The idea of the government thinking that they’re doing the world a favor by telling us [women] what to do with our bodies when cis-het men cannot be impregnated is sick. To me it sounds like a bunch of men who failed to gain custody.
2. I want to see support [against the overturning] from everyone who is anyone, that gives a fuck about their mother(s). Regardless of the outcome of this decision, a lesson will certainly be learned."
- Anonymous, 18, she/her
I feel the rawness and emotions of frustration and disdain jumping from these words. I relate heavily! Personally, the use of Christianity in the opposing argument is null and void for three reasons; A. America is not a theocracy. Our church and state in America have been separated since founding this country, melding them together with this decision is heavily unconstitutional. B. How are you to weaponize Christianity and Catholicism to persecute half of the religion’s following? C. To reference the bible, there is a passage in Exodus that speaks of unwilful termination of pregnancy. A medical analysis of the passage states in the abstract, “Even so, the distinction made between the woman and the fetus is important. The woman is valued as a person under the covenant; the fetus is valued as property. Its status is certainly inferior to that of the woman. This passage gives no support to the parity argument that gives equal religious and moral worth to woman and fetus.” (PMID:12178933)
“1. Roe v. Wade doesn’t affect me personally, however it does heavily affect the women in my life, whether they’re my close friends or family members. It honestly is a loss of freedom for them as they’ll essentially be, under any circumstances, forced to bear children whether it come from sexual assault or even the fault of persecution makes no ethical sense to me. Most people pushing for the repeal of the judicial act I‘ve seen are pro-life, yet a percentage of them seem so detached from reality as they’d rather advocate for the lives of unborn fetuses. Yet, they don’t take care of the kids found within the foster care system or seem ignorant towards the mental and financial capacities needed to take care of a child and raise them to be a “properly functioning member of society. Taking away the ability of SAFE abortions, simply takes away the word ‘safe’. Many women pre-RvW used tools such as coat hangers, Clorox, and a multitude of other objects and ailments to terminate pregnancy or bearing the child to term. An overturning of such a vital bill is equivalent to restricting women’s freedom. As a cis-gender male, I don’t believe I have the right to decide what a woman does with her body in any form.
2. [Naming brands that should be against the overturning] Since I am of a fashion-related background, my first inclination is to think of Nike and Adidas, as they have many partnered athletes that are either women and/ or advocate for women’s rights. These brands also have the voice and audience to really make a change on a global scale.”
- Azariah, 22, he/him
“It will funnel black and brown children directly into neglectful poverty situations.”
When talking about this topic it’s important to include adoptions and foster care in the discussion. Both orphanages and the foster care system are heavily over-flooded with millions of displaced children, and who’s to say this overturning won’t increase these levels? It will funnel black and brown children directly into neglectful poverty situations, as there are articles that state that black and brown children are disproportionately left in orphanages and the foster care system until adulthood, compared to children of other colors. Another great point mentioned is that overturning Roe v. Wade only bans “safe” abortions. To believe that every woman that becomes pregnant afterwards will carry and deliver the babies is blatant ignorance!
“No one, especially a cisgendered man, should have a say in anyone’s pregnancy decisions.”
“1. I have plenty of friends and family who can become pregnant, and I stand with them when it comes to deciding for themselves if having an abortion is something they want. A woman’s mental, emotional, and physical health is affected if they’re forced to go through with an unwanted pregnancy, in similar ways to if it was a miscarriage or stillborn birth. No one, especially a cisgendered man, should have a say in anyone’s pregnancy decisions.
2. Knowing that big corporations and businesses tend to avoid taking political stances in fear of their customer base shifting or decreasing, it would be life-changing to go out for groceries or to pick up medications [at Walmart, target, or Walgreens] and seeing a sign that they support upholding Roe v. Wade.”
- Benny, 23, they/them
I really appreciated this response because it highlights the strain that pregnancy and childbirth put on the mother’s body, mind, and soul. In the near future, the rate of at-risk pregnancies will drastically increase due to long term effects from the pharmaceutical sector. There will be countless partners left with the decision to save the mother or the child. Would you always expect the partner to pick the child? When those partners pick the mother and that child dies, the rate of healthcare-related child deaths will severely increase, causing further distrust from the American population. In addition, it’s great to think about other sectors of the economy that will feel the effects of the potential overturning. Seeing major sectors such as Agriculture and Pharmaceuticals band together on the side of protecting women’s rights would be something unheard of in our history!
“1. Roe v. Wade affects the people in my life because it gave women the rights to do whatever they wanted with their bodies. I feel like abortion is a choice that should be a woman’s decision, and for a male dominated Supreme Court to overturn that right, it sends a message to every American citizen to how our government views women.
2. Brands that I’d love to see support the overturning, are all the baby-related companies [later lists some such as companies that sell baby food, diapers, formula, baby clothes, baby toys, and mom utilities]. All the companies that benefit off infants and pregnancies. See how long they go without product shortages that have already begun.”
- Landon, 22, he/him
I really appreciated his response to the second question because it made me think deeply about not only how this will affect women, but also companies that cater to motherhood. How long will it take after [IF] Roe v. Wade is overturned, before these companies and corporations such as Nestle, P&G, Kimberly-Clark, Luv n’ Care, etc. begin reporting nationwide shortages of the bare minimum essentials for raising children: diapers, bobo’s, baby bottles and bottle brushes, formula, strollers, swaddles and blankets, and of course bedtime toys. In addition, would the WIC program be able to sustain itself with a tsunami of new mothers on the way? Given that there’s currently a water shortage in states such as California and Michigan, as well as a nationwide formula shortage, it’s only a matter of time before other essentials add to that list.
Only those that have actively taken part in raising children truly know how much money, time, energy, patience, and resources are needed to do so. It takes a village! If the government as well as everyone that is pro-life or anti-abortion are not able to provide efficiently for mothers, infants, and the orphanage/foster care sectors of the population, Roe v. Wade should remain upheld. When it comes to ANY citizen in America, it’s the ability to define themselves that’s most important, not how to be governed, and certainly not how the media may portray them as. Perception is a tricky subject because of how infinitely subjective it is. Therefore, to revoke laws based on a perception is highly unconstitutional.
The Takeaway
Many Gen Zers look to brands to give them a voice when those in power ignore us. No matter what political views your CEO’s may hold, siding with the overturning of Roe v. Wade is business suicide, given that the majority of most customer bases are women. There are only so many political controversies businesses that claim women empowerment, celebrate women’s month, or sell feminist merch can avoid...if you don’t side with women please don’t capitalize off of our views.