Even a sweltering summer day couldn’t keep voters in the US state of Kansas indoors as they turned out in large numbers to support the reproductive rights of women. Nearly 60 per cent voters said “no” to the so-called “value them both” amendment which would have declared that the state’s constitution does not uphold the right to abortion. The results bolster what opinion polls have shown, both before and since the June 24 ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States which overturned the historic 1973 Roe v Wade judgement supporting abortion rights: Most Americans now believe that women should have autonomy over their bodies, including in the matter of pregnancy.
Several other US states have either already challenged abortion rights or are preparing to challenge them in the coming months. To those fighting to protect these rights, which most American women had until recently considered guaranteed, the Kansas victory comes as an affirmation that while the obstacles before them are formidable, they are not insurmountable.
