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Photo by Youth Action Fund.
On November 6, the 2024 election results were revealed. Floridians voted for the next President of the United States. They were also able to vote on 6 amendments including Amendment 4 which concerned abortion rights. Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States and Amendment 4 was not passed. These results left many women completely devastated and scared for the future of Florida and America.
Amendment 4 proposed that no law shall “Prohibit, penalize, delay or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” Voters that voted YES on Amendment 4 voted in support of the amendment being passed, and voters that voted NO voted in support of Florida’s 6-week abortion ban.
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to abortion was protected by the Fourteenth Amendment during the Roe v. Wade court case. Roe v. Wade became a monumental case for women’s right to personal liberty.
In June of 2022, 5 Republican appointed Supreme Court Justices voted to overrule this decision in Dobb v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This ruling was made under the presumption that abortion was not, “Deeply rooted in this Nation’s history or tradition,” Unfortunately, 3 of these justices were appointed by the 2025 president elect, Donald Trump.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade gave states the power to regulate abortion. Since this exchange on power, 14 states have enacted near total abortion bans, including Tennessee, Wyoming and Arkansas.
Unfortunately, Florida is on the list of states with a permanent 6-week abortion ban, even though 57% of Floridians voted against the ban. In 2006, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments from 50% to 60%. Ironically, this amendment proposing to raise the threshold did not achieve over 60% itself.
Many people that voted NO have stressed concerns for late-term abortions. In a study done in 2021, less than 1% of abortions are carried out after 21 weeks of pregnancy. In the same study, 93% of abortions were carried out before the first trimester (13 weeks), and the remaining 6% were carried out in the second trimester, between 14 and 20 weeks.
Young women have stressed their concerns about the 6-week abortion ban. Madison Janette DeVault shared, “I do not think it’s fair, I think it’s inhumane.” She added, “I think that any person should be able to have an abortion no matter what circumstance, and anything other than that is against human rights.”
The 47th President
Women around the nation are disgusted and fearful of the President Elect.
Donald Trump has stated he has “No regrets,” on planting the seed [appointing the 3 supreme court justices] to overturn Roe v. Wade. Due to the overturn, Nevaeh Crain, Josseli Barnica, and Amber Nicole Thurman were refused medical care and died as a result.
Physicians, in these women’s cases, were delaying giving them medical attention. It is possible for them to lose their medical license as well as be charged as a felon if they assist an abortion. There is supposed to be an exception for the patient/mother’s health, but as seen, sometimes that doesn’t follow through. Find out more on Florida’s specific abortion ban and how it affects physicians here.
Trump has had 27 reports of sexual assault as of October 2024.
Graph made by Teia Williams.
The Dream of a Woman for President
For the second time in history a woman has ran for president as the Democratic nominee. For the second time a woman has failed to win the presidential election. Americans must wait another four years to see a woman take a shot at presidency or possibly longer.
“I think it is because she’s a woman point-blank-period. I was hurt that people couldn’t overlook that fact and vote for her as she was one of the most qualified people to be in office,” DSC student Maegen Cason said.
Men have taken up presidency for the last 235 years.
“It is like sending a message that women can’t do something because it’s all male,” Cason said.
Representation is what shows that women and men are equal. Women have slowly worked their way up to where they are today. They still have not been able to break the barrier in America that a woman can be in charge and represent a country.
According to The Washington Post, 175 women have gained the title as a leader of government or state in 87 countries. America is extremely behind.
“It [A women president] gives hope to the younger generations that you can be a woman and run for the same things men do,” Cason said. “It means you can do things even if it’s a male dominant field.”
For the time being, that representation has been stripped from women in America. Power is continued to be in the hands of men and in the hands of Donald Trump.