The Charger Blog
As part of a recent University-wide conversation, several professors and experts in fields such as maternal health and psychology explained what the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision means for people in Connecticut and across the country, as well as the possible longer-term consequences of the ruling.
July 20, 2022
For Danielle Cooper, Ph.D., CPP, the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last month was overwhelming 鈥 as it was for so many people. She wanted to offer her support to members of the University community in the wake of the decision.
While moderating a recent virtual panel discussion for members of the University community, Dr. Cooper shared her own reaction. She acknowledged that it has been difficult to process, and she wanted to make sure her fellow Chargers understood they were not alone in experiencing a wide range of emotions.
鈥淚 want to encourage us all to take a deep breath,鈥 said Dr. Cooper, associate professor of criminal justice and director of research for the . 鈥淭his is a conversation where, if you鈥檙e like me, you feel it in your body and it can bring a wide range of emotions. It also gives us an opportunity to be in conversation with each other.鈥
Recognizing and acknowledging the potential impact the decision has on the safety, health, and well-being of many members of the University community, the University hosted the discussion as part of its Courageous Conversation series to provide a space for Chargers to come together to discuss the impact of the ruling. It brought together faculty representing several of the University鈥檚 academic colleges and schools.
For Jessica Holzer, Ph.D., assistant professor of health sciences whose research focuses on improving maternal health, the ruling was personal. She has close friends in a state in which abortion is now illegal.
Discussing the fear the ruling has created, Dr. Holzer explained that many of the decisions that will have to be made going forward are not clear cut 鈥 such as when abortion can be considered lifesaving care and what the dividing lines are between helping an individual access an abortion, respond to a miscarriage, or deliver a baby.
鈥淲hen you think about revoking healthcare of any other type from any population, imagine making insulin illegal to access, or imagine you鈥檇 have to travel out of state to access it,鈥 said Dr. Holzer. 鈥淵ou鈥檇 consider it an urgent issue that demands action. Abortion saves lives of people who need an abortion. Lack of access has negative consequences for individuals, families, and communities. It can also contribute to continuing poverty and generations of potential harm when it is combined with lack of access to healthcare and safety nets on a national level.鈥
Mike Lawlor, J.D., associate professor of criminal justice and a lawyer, explained what the ruling means for Connecticut. Under current state law, the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade does not affect access to abortion or other reproductive healthcare in Connecticut. Prof. Lawlor also discussed the state鈥檚 , which went into effect on July 1, prohibiting state courts from enforcing a different state鈥檚 penalties against someone who provided an abortion that is considered legal in Connecticut.
鈥淚n Connecticut there is a clear right for persons who become pregnant to end a pregnancy,鈥 he explained. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e expanded the list of those allowed to perform abortions to include advanced practice registered nurses, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e also made it clear that Connecticut will not participate in providing information about what happens in Connecticut to other states,鈥 he continued. 鈥淚f, say, a Connecticut doctor performs an abortion in Connecticut on a Texas resident, Connecticut will not participate in extraditing the doctor to Texas.鈥
Janet Garcia-Hallett, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice, says the Supreme Court ruling will not stop abortions from happening. She explained that access to abortions has always been limited for certain groups of individuals, and that barriers to medical care most impact marginalized populations.
鈥淎ll this does is make abortions unsafe and criminalize the women and doctors trying to help them,鈥 explained Dr. Garcia-Hallett, author of . 鈥淭his turns women from being patients into being criminals. Not only are you criminalizing the women, but you are criminalizing those trying to assist them. These are real people. These are our families and friends we鈥檙e talking about.鈥
Who exactly is seeking abortions was a point that Melissa Whitson, Ph.D., professor of psychology and an expert on childhood trauma, endeavored to contextualize. She explained that many people don鈥檛 really understand the process of an abortion or, even, what constitutes an abortion. She told the University community that more than half of those seeking an abortion are already parents who are not seeking an abortion as a form of birth control. Students, she said, are also in the group of people most likely to seek an abortion, according to the statistics.
鈥淔or college students there鈥檚 direct impact,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 this 50-year precedent that鈥檚 been there since most of us have been alive. Now that it鈥檚 overturned and there鈥檚 this impact on privacy, this impacts college students as they begin their careers. It can affect where they want to live and get a job, as this becomes a state issue.鈥
Panelists stressed the importance of continuing the conversation. The University is planning more panel discussions that will address timely and pertinent issues for this fall, including a Courageous Conversation series event about gun violence planned for October.
In the meantime, faculty members addressed the fear that many are now experiencing in the wake of the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision 鈥 from what the ruling will mean for people seeking an abortion to concern that other laws will be overturned.
Describing the ruling as a case in which the 鈥渄og has caught the car,鈥 Prof. Lawlor warned of the proposed legislation that could follow, including that which could lead to the arrest of more pregnant people seeking an abortion as well as healthcare providers and anyone trying to help them.
鈥淭his is about much more than abortion, and it is a very scary prospect,鈥 he said. 鈥淔or most of our adult lives we鈥檙e going to be dealing with the consequences of this decision. If you don鈥檛 approve of this kind of thing, you have to vote accordingly. This is a threat to our democracy. I have a lot of faith in our younger generations to fix this, but it鈥檚 not going to happen tomorrow.鈥
University News
A new National Science Foundation-funded program led by faculty at the AV天堂网 offers hands-on, sustainable construction research for students with learning disabilities, combining technical innovation with inclusive mentorship.
The Charger Blog
AV天堂网鈥檚 Center for Learning Resources has been recertified by the College Reading and Learning Association, reaffirming its commitment to providing peer and professional tutoring that meets the highest national standards.
The Charger Blog
The University community proudly celebrated the excellence of 11 faculty members at the annual Faculty Excellence Awards, recognizing their dedication to their students, their educational journeys, and their future success.