| One of the most divisive debates in the United States continues to be abortion. In January 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, based on the privacy rights given to all American citizens. This thesis explores the effect Roe had on the rhetoric and agendas of the pro-choice and pro-life factions and how the American public understood "abortion." Roe v. Wade eliminated unconstitutional state regulation of abortion as a procedure and in effect legalized it on the basis of personal privacy rights included in the Constitution. Legalized abortion moved the focus away from women's personal experience and toward the question of who had a stake in the decision; including the fetus, husbands and fathers, parents, and physicians. Drawing from Sarah Weddington and Norma McCorvey's personal experiences, this thesis discusses the evolution of the pro-choice movement prior to the Supreme Court decision through the mobilization of a national pro-life movement following legalization of abortion. |
