Fifty-Two Years Later: The Evolution of Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood
Written by Paige Beveridge and Kenzie Burns
Photo credit: Lorie Shaull
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, transforming the landscape of reproductive rights in the United States.
What was Roe v. Wade?
In 1970, Norma McCorvey, under the pseudonym "Jane Roe," challenged Texas laws that only allowed abortion when necessary to save a woman’s life. The Court ruled in favour of Roe, asserting that the constitutional right to privacy, rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment, extended to a woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy. This ruling reshaped reproductive rights in the U.S. and influenced global movements for abortion access.
However, in 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, returning the power to regulate abortion to individual states. This led to a patchwork of laws across the country, with many states imposing near-total abortion bans.
The Ongoing Struggle
The fight for reproductive rights is far from new. While the overturning of Roe v. Wade presents a significant setback, it does not mark the end of the battle—it marks a new chapter. Organizations like Planned Parenthood, which has been advocating for reproductive rights since its founding in 1916, continue to lead the charge in ensuring access to essential healthcare and championing bodily autonomy.
What is Planned Parenthood?
Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization with over 100 years of history, providing sexual healthcare to more than 2 million people annually in the U.S. and supporting global health initiatives through education, advocacy, and partnerships.
Founded in 1916 in Brooklyn, New York, by Margaret Sanger, her sister Ethel Byrne, and activist Fania Mindell, the organization opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn. Despite being shut down after just nine days and Sanger being jailed, she used her time in prison to educate fellow inmates about birth control, solidifying her commitment to reproductive health.
The Pill: A Revolutionary Step
In 1923, Sanger founded the Birth Control Research Bureau, which later merged with the American Birth Control League to become the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Planned Parenthood funded research that led to the development of the birth control pill, with suffrage leader Katharine Dexter McCormick playing a pivotal role in its funding. In 1936, a court ruling legalized the distribution of birth control, marking a turning point in reproductive rights.
However, like many historical advancements, the development of the pill was not without controversy. Early trials were conducted on women in Puerto Rico without proper informed consent, highlighting ethical issues within medical research.
Controversial Figures
While Margaret Sanger is credited with founding Planned Parenthood, her legacy is far from perfect. Her support for eugenics casts a shadow over her work, highlighting the intersection of reproductive health, early feminism, and systemic inequalities.
*Eugenics is the belief in improving the human population by promoting reproduction among those with “desirable” traits and limiting it among those with “undesirable” traits, often leading to harmful and discriminatory practices.
Similarly, while McCorvey's case reshaped abortion access, her personal journey was fraught with contradictions. Her shifting stance on abortion and revelations of payments from anti-abortion groups complicate her legacy, reflecting the complexities of the reproductive rights movement.
Where Are We Now?
The fight for reproductive rights remains a dynamic and ongoing struggle. Policies like the Hyde Amendment (1976) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) have imposed financial and regulatory barriers to abortion, limiting access for many. Despite these challenges, modern advances—such as emergency contraception, transgender healthcare, and the HPV vaccine—demonstrate ongoing progress in reproductive health.
Yet, the 2022 Dobbs decision reignited debates and led to widespread abortion bans in several states, highlighting the vulnerability of reproductive rights today.
Global Implications
The evolution of reproductive rights, while rooted in the U.S. context, has far-reaching implications worldwide. Roe v. Wade served as a beacon for global reproductive justice movements, inspiring advocacy and legal changes in other countries. In the decades following the decision, nations such as Canada, Mexico, and several European countries expanded access to abortion.
Now What?
Despite increasing challenges, organizations like Planned Parenthood continue to provide vital healthcare and advocate for reproductive freedom. They work to ensure access to essential services, particularly for marginalized communities.
The global struggle for reproductive rights is a complex and interwoven issue that requires solidarity and sustained advocacy on multiple fronts to ensure that reproductive autonomy remains a fundamental human right for all.
On this Roe v. Wade anniversary, this article serves as a reflection of how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.
*Please note that this article offers an overview of the evolution of reproductive rights, primarily focusing on the U.S. It does not serve as a comprehensive historical account. For more in-depth information, please refer to the resources listed below.
Resources (referenced in this article)
Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
(https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/410/113/)
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 597 U.S. ___ (2022)
(https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/597/19-1392/)
Planned Parenthood - "History of Planned Parenthood"
(https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are/history)
Planned Parenthood - "The History of Birth Control and Planned Parenthood's Role"
(https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control)
The Birth Control Pill: A Timeline of Milestones - Guttmacher Institute
(https://www.guttmacher.org/infographic/2019/03/birth-control-pill-timeline-milestones)
Margaret Sanger and the Eugenics Movement - National Women's History Museum
(https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/margaret-sanger)
Guttmacher Institute – "Abortion Worldwide: 2022"
(https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-worldwide-2022)
Center for Reproductive Rights – "Global Abortion Policies Database"
(https://reproductiverights.org/abortion-global-policy/)
The Guardian – "Dobbs v Jackson: What’s at Stake for Global Reproductive Rights"
(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/26/dobbs-v-jackson-global-reproductive-rights)
Human Rights Watch – "Reproductive Rights and Health"
(https://www.hrw.org/topic/womens-rights/reproductive-rights)
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