Status quo at stake

New generation may face abortion questions

To some teens, the abortion debate seems far removed from their lives.

“It’s just a moral war,” said Michael Austin, a Lawrence High School senior. “It’s not trying to actually solve a problem.”

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up two cases involving legal protections for abortion. And with the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the bench, the court is expected to take a step to the right.

Now a generation that is far removed from the pre-Roe v. Wade world could suddenly – and perhaps reluctantly – land in the center of the issue.

“I think what’s likely to happen is any dramatic change (in abortion law) would energize some people,” said Rick Levy, a law professor at Kansas University.

Future activism

A recent poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research showed 63 percent of adults 18 to 25 believe a woman should have the right to a legal abortion.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, left, and Justice John Paul Stevens, stand in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Monday, Oct 3, 2005 in Washington. Roberts took the Supreme Court bench for the first time Monday, as smiling justices stood and greeted their new leader. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

But that doesn’t mean it’s a hot topic for all young adults.

Those entering adulthood this year were born 14 years after 1973’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which determined women do have a constitutional right to an abortion.

That might help explain why at least some young adults aren’t interested in being abortion activists.

From 1994 until this year, KU didn’t have a student organization promoting abortion rights.

Joy Lawson, president of the recently formed Students for Reproductive Rights at KU, said she believed the time that has elapsed since the Roe v. Wade decision was one reason why students weren’t more vocal.

“The main problem here is a lot of women don’t realize what freedom they could lose,” Lawson said. “Our generation hasn’t seen the botched illegal abortion. It hasn’t seen people who are unable to get these services because it’s illegal.”

“Young people are pretty active on the pro-life side,” Levy said. “On the pro-choice side, I think it may be there’s not as much energy and activism because the status quo doesn’t present as much of a problem for them.

“Another appointment (to the Supreme Court) could mean a vote to overturn Roe. At that point, you might see a mobilization and energizing of the pro-choice movement in much the same way Roe really galvanized religious conservatives and got them interested in politics.”

Even on the side opposing abortion rights, which has more to gain with the rekindled abortion debate, young adults haven’t rallied as much as some leaders had hoped. Heather Leger, president of Students for Life at KU, said her group has about 250 people on an e-mail listserv but far fewer actively participating in events.

But she expects that to change soon.

“I think it takes something personal for you to get involved,” she said. “I think we’re getting more to an atmosphere for something to happen. I think it will start to pick up by the end of the year.”

Young thoughts

Just because many young adults aren’t abortion rights opponents or advocates, that doesn’t mean the prospect of a world with Roe v. Wade overturned, where states have the right to ban abortion, hasn’t crossed their minds.

Kyle Mendenhall, LHS senior, said he considers himself an abortion rights opponent. Even so, he said he worried that women would continue seeking abortions even if Roe v. Wade were overturned.

“It’s safer the way it is now,” he said. “It won’t change what’s going to happen by making it illegal. It’s just going to make more unsafe ways of doing it.”

Marti McDonald, another LHS senior, agreed.

“It’d be a mess,” she said. “People would still be getting them done. They’d just have to go around the lines and get them illegally.”

Kelly Gibson said she thought it should remain legal.

“It shouldn’t be your first option,” she said. “But it shouldn’t be illegal.”

‘Touchy topic’

In fact, Levy, the KU professor, said it’s more likely that the younger generation could be involved in shaping policies about abortion – such as laws governing waiting periods and parental notification – than they would in convincing Supreme Court justices to overturn Roe v. Wade.

At least some young people are ready for their generation to have serious discussions about abortion. But they realize that may be difficult.

“Most people don’t want to talk about it,” said Leger, the Students for Life president. “They pick sides and they’re there. When people are polarized, it takes a lot of talent to talk about this issue without the hatred and ugliness that goes on.”

Lawson, the Students for Reproductive Rights leader, agreed.

“I’m not really positive our entire generation is ready to have this conversation,” she said, “because it’s such a touchy topic.”