OUR VOICES: Reflections on the 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

By Julia Lothrop

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion care in their groundbreaking Roe v. Wade decision. That same year, Mattel unveiled a Surgeon Career Barbie.

Surgeon Barbie, and her immediate predecessor, Astronaut Barbie (who was unveiled in 1965 – the same year contraception became legal in the United Sates,) stood on the shoulders of Flight Attendant Barbie, Ballerina Barbie, and Registered Nurse Barbie.

While all represent valuable careers, Surgeon Barbie and Astronaut Barbie were particularly significant because they represented a cultural shift.

Amid the women’s movement, and newfound reproductive freedom that enabled women to plan families on their own terms, new doors were opened to education and career choice opportunities that many of their mothers and grandmothers could only dream about.

Thanks largely in part to the bodily autonomy granted by Roe v. Wade, starting in 1973 more women across America now had a golden ticket to start entering lucrative career fields – including surgery and astrophysics – that were previously dominated almost exclusively by men.

We now know that women who have access to contraception make about $2,200 more per year than those who do not. Furthermore, access to safe and legal abortion increases a woman’s likelihood of graduating college by 72%, and increases the probability that she will secure a professional role by almost 40%.

Abortion care is an economic justice issue – and when it’s restricted, we all lose.

A year and a half ago, the U.S. Supreme Court took away reproductive rights to abortion care in the Dobbs decision.  

In our state of Texas, we’ve seen judges and politicians force their way into medical decisions that should be between a woman and her doctor. We’ve seen doctors and hospitals fearful of penalties and in confusion because they do not understand how to interpret these obscure laws. The lack of guidance of when an abortion can be medically given has created a legal limbo which only heightens the mortality risk for mothers and their unborn children in Texas. 

We’ve seen medical providers close their doors or relocate to another state. Since Dobbs, around 60% of OBGYNs in states with restrictions and bans report concerns about their personal legal risk when making decisions related to abortion care with patients. This has, in many cases, left rural communities in deep deserts of care.

In addition to being dangerous, these restrictions have also already had detrimental effects on our economy.

State-level restrictions on abortion care cost local economies $105 billion per year, and if they were removed, our U.S. Gross Domestic Product would be nearly 0.5% higher.

I am proud to work for President Biden and Vice President Harris, who have worked since day one to protect women’s rights, health, and privacy.

While some lawmakers are focused on deepening gaps in access to care, the Biden-Harris Administration have been laser-focused on strengthening the resources available to patients, providers, and pharmacies across the country.

President Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum strengthening patient safety and protecting patients, providers, and pharmacies who access prescribe, or provide mifepristone.

The Biden-Harris Administration also took action to strengthen reproductive health privacy under HIPAA.

And, the Biden-Harris Administration is working hard to defend the right of all women to travel safely to another state to seek the care they need, and protecting students, and others, from discrimination in health care.

At the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we continue to defend FDA approval of medication abortion in court.

And, we’re making contraception – especially preferred methods of contraception – more accessible. In July, the FDA approved the first daily over-the-counter oral contraceptive.

Abortion care, contraception, and other family planning services are economic tools that are here to stay.

We will continue to fight until reproductive justice prevails and a woman’s choice is restored.

Julia Lothrop is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Regional Director for Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 68 Federally Qualified Tribes. She has worked with the regional office for over 20 years.