Jennifer russell

“ONE of the darkest days for women’s rights”. “A step backward for human rights”. “A terrifying, heartbreaking decision.”

These are just some of the headlines which have been published in the last few days after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade – a court ruling which gave American women the right to access safe abortions.

In the aftermath, politicians, celebrities and countless women and men across the world spoke out to condemn the ruling.

The ruling means that around half of US states are expected to introduce new restrictions or bans and abortion access is expected to be cut off for about 36 million women of reproductive age.

My own social media was overtaken by outrage on the ruling, which was ripped up after 50 years.

And as I read and began to understand the gravity of it my own anger spilled to the surface.

It may not directly affect us here in the UK, however, that doesn’t mean it’s not a dark day for women here too.

We need to stand in solidarity with our American counterparts and make sure that this doesn’t become a catalyst for change on our own soil.

Just this week we’ve seen a debate on buffer zones around abortion clinics in Scotland become part of the national agenda.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon spoke at a conference in Glasgow on Monday, and Glasgow City Council wants to launch a pilot project which could lead to legislation banning protest within a certain distance of clinics.

While everyone is entitled to their own views, women do not need to be shouted at in the street by random strangers when visiting a clinic.

It’s in juxtaposition to what is happening in the US.

In the States, the ruling doesn’t mean abortions won’t take place, it just limits women’s access to safe abortions which is a basic healthcare need.

Having an abortion isn’t solely about wanting “rid of a unplanned pregnancy”, far from it.

Women may need safe abortions to save their own lives, like in the case of an ectopic pregnancy.

Without an abortion, the mother’s life is at greater risk, the foetus is not viable and without medical intervention, a woman may die. At the end of the day it’s about body autonomy.

We should have control over our own reproductive health.

And I will fight until the end to make sure that this is the case for my own future children and the generations to come.