In America, women rely on the will of mostly male state and federal lawmakers, as well as for-profit health insurance companies, businesses that provide insurance, and, in certain cases, religious groups. Women’s reproductive rights, as well as their economic and emotional well-being, are heavily influenced by these institutions. This problem needs a detailed analysis, so it is necessary to consider exactly what affects the state of women in American society and how the situation has changed recently.
Women and men in America do not receive the same level of care from their doctors. Depending on gender, people do not have the same disease experiences and respond to treatment differently (Nerenberg, 2018). Such diseases as autoimmune illnesses, fibromyalgia, and many chronic pain conditions, which primarily impact women, have not been researched enough, leaving doctors unsure how to detect and treat them. Autoimmune disorders affect 50 million people in the United States, with women accounting for 75 percent of those affected. At the same time, there are not enough autoimmune specialists who would be able to provide the necessary help. Also, many primary care physicians are untrained in how to diagnose them. The American healthcare system is not organized enough to provide the necessary support to women.
The current situation with the state of governmental control over women’s reproductive health in America is complicated. Since the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973, more abortion restrictions have been passed in 2021 than in any other year (Nash & Naide, 2021). Despite the government’s need to address crucial issues such as racial fairness or the Pandemic, many of these acts took place at the start of this year. In September, the most restrictive anti-abortion law, which banned abortions after six weeks, was implemented in Texas. The Supreme Court denied a request to block the law and this decision was followed by a series of marches all over the country organized by pro-choice activists.
Reproductive rights rallies met opposition from conservative and religious Americans. The counter-protests were held by various groups of pro-life supporters in Washington, Austin, Texas, and Jackson, Mississippi and other cities. In Wisconsin, counter-protesters marched around the state Capitol and gathered for prayers outside a Planned Parenthood office. During their speeches, the demonstrators supported the Texas Act and urged the cancellation of Ro v. Wade.
Another important topic for maintaining a high level of reproductive health in women is the availability of contraception. During the legislative sessions across the US, issues related to reproductive rights were often discussed, with an ongoing spike in aggressive measures, mainly surrounding contraception access. Several states pushed to strengthen the security of their populations as pro-life supporters sought ways to weaken the federal contraception coverage requirement according to the Affordable Care Act. Maryland, Connecticut and Washington have adopted new laws concerning contraceptive rights. These regulations also require that contraceptive coverage, follow-up services, and male and female sterilization be covered by health insurance plans without cost sharing. Besides these new acts, 17 states and DC have increased contraceptive coverage granted under the Affordable Care Act.
The current state of gender equality in healthcare and reproductive rights in the US is far from perfect. Women do not get sufficient medical aid and are not observed enough to maintain a sufficient level of well-being. Recently, some states have passed legislation restricting reproductive rights and limiting the opportunity for abortion. Adopting these laws makes possible the loss of reproductive freedom among women. However, the other states have passed progressive acts requiring the government to make contraceptives more affordable for the people, which makes the situation a little better. It can be concluded that the state of affairs with reproductive rights has become much worse since the new abortion law in Texas will make the lives of thousands of women much harder.
References
Nash, E., & Naide, S. (2021). State Policy Trends at Midyear 2021: Already the Worst Legislative. Guttmacher Institute. Web.
Nerenber, J. (2018). How to Address Gender Inequality in Health Care. Greater Good Magazine. Web.