Roe V. Wade

The Roe v. Wade decision was a monumental victory for women’s rights. In the 1960s and 1970s, America was extremely divided on its opinion of abortion, as it still is to this day. Conservatives and Religious types touted the act as pure sin and murder, while liberals and feminists claimed that a women’s right to choose was imperative to her autonomy as a human being. The decision ruled in favor of women’s right to choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. This decision polarized millions of Americans. Conservative citizens protested the outcome by vocalizing their dissatisfaction and protesting. This source represents a large part of second wave feminism and is easily related back to ideas of first wave feminism, with women wanting agency over their bodies and their representation in government. An all-male supreme court granted this landmark decision, which showed America just how impactful feminist action could be.