Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Did the overturning of Griswold v. Connecticut help accelerate the decision to Roe v. Wade.
In 1965, the Supreme Court overturned a Connecticut law that banned the use of contraceptives and established penalties for couples who were caught using them. The penalties faced by couples involved a $50 fine and not less than 60 days in prison. After constant attempts to appeal the law the case finally reached the U.S Supreme Court who over turned the contraceptive policy in a seven to two vote. The Supreme Court ruled that marriages were a zone of privacy and the law had no right to interfere. However, constant court cases followed. For example the case of Eisenhadt v Baird made it illegal for unmarried couples to use contraceptives. The reproductive rights campaign began to fiercely fight back. Fast forwarding to 1975 when the Roe v. Wade decisions was announced. The Supreme Court ruled that abortions were to be legal for all women. I believe that since Griswold v Connecticut was overturned by the Supreme Court the United States was starting to move into a less conservative era in regards to reproductive rights. The Supreme Court's decision aided those in favor of more reproductive rights and more available means of contraceptives. Since the the reproductive rights campaign was fueled by the overturning of Griswold v Connecticut the fight for legal abortion was already in favor of the pro- choice. So yes, I believe that the overturning of Griswold v. Connecticut helped accelerate the Supreme Court's decision to legalize abortion, and they did so fully knowing that the majority would soon be pro-choice.
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