If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, as now appears likely, it will be in defiance of public opinion. The great majority of Americans support abortion rights. Take a look at the latest numbers from the 2021 General Social Survey (GSS)...
89% think abortion should be legal if a woman's health is seriously endangered
84% think abortion should be legal if a woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape
77% think abortion should be legal if there is a strong chance of serious defect in the baby
54% think abortion should be legal if a woman wants it for any reason
The General Social Survey has been probing the public's attitudes toward legal abortion since 1972. In that year, 87 percent thought abortion should be legal if a woman's health was seriously endangered. Seventy-nine percent favored legal abortion in the case of rape, and 79 percent supported the right to abortion if there was a serious defect in the baby. For the past 50 years, the public has overwhelmingly supported the right to legal abortion in these circumstances.
The broader question—whether abortion should be legal if a woman wants one for any reason—was first asked by the GSS in 1977. In that year, only 37 percent of the public supported legal abortion for any reason. The figure inched upward over the years, surpassing 50 percent for the first time in 2018. The 54 percent of 2021 is an all-time high for this measure.
Perhaps tellingly, support for a woman's right to a legal abortion for any reason does not vary much by age. Among 18-to-44-year-olds, 57 percent support a woman's right to choose. The share is 53 percent in the 45-to-64 age group and 52 percent among those aged 65 or older. Among men, 53 percent support the right to abortion for any reason. Among women, the share is 56 percent.
With this kind of long-term and widespread support for legal abortion, at least in some circumstances, the public is not likely to let these rights go without a fight. Politicians take note.
Source: Demo Memo analysis of the 2021 General Social Survey
No comments:
Post a Comment