Democrats in Florida’s State Legislature have provided comments surrounding the 51st anniversary of the initial Roe v. Wade ruling. The 7-2 decision from the Supreme Court in January of 1973 gave women the legal protection to perform an abortion nationwide.
State Senators of the minority party gave reflective statements on the last five decades but also included points of optimism for the pro-choice movement.
Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-FL) mentioned that women and girls are now “less safe” since Roe was overturned but the “tides are turning.”
“For nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade served as a beacon of freedom, providing federal protection against dangerous government overreach into private medical decisions. But for the first time in history, today’s generation of women and girls are now less safe and less free than our mothers and grandmothers before us,” said Leader Book.
“While our reproductive rights and freedoms are no longer federally assured, across the country, the tides have turned. As we’ve seen in states like Kansas, Kentucky, and now Florida, abortion is no longer a partisan issue; Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike are uniting to fight back and restore the rights we have lost. Together, we are a powerful army working to protect and restore abortion rights at the ballot box. And together, we will win.”
Furthermore, State Senator Lori Berman (D-FL) stated that she believes “common sense will prevail” regarding the issue.
“In the years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve lost so much. We’ve been traumatized. We hear story after story of women facing near death experiences because doctor’s hands are tied by lawmakers, stories of women taking matters into their own hands and facing consequences. We can’t let this continue to happen.
I believe common sense will prevail on abortion. State by state, the people are making their voices heard. One day, reproductive choices will revert back to women and their doctors, not politicians.”
Finally, Senator Tina Polsky (D-FL) that the pro-choice movement will win should they continue to fight.
“Women all over Florida and the country have proven that we don’t want politicians to control our medical care. The more they continue to take away our rights, the more we will fight back and we will win,” said State Sen. Polsky.
Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022 in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case. Former President Donald Trump's (R) three Supreme Court nominees aided the decisions' reversal.
