In the United States, 13 of the 14 states considered to be the country’s “southern” states currently have some form of an abortion ban. The only state that does not currently have a form of abortion ban in the South is Virginia. However, that may change depending on the results of this year’s gubernatorial election. Among the pressing issues on the table in the upcoming gubernatorial race is access to abortion.
Virginia has become the last standing wall in a dangerous shift in reproductive rights post-Roe abortion ban. A shift that could cause over 2 million women in Virginia to lose access to abortion and healthcare.
Since 2023, abortions in Virginia have risen from 33.4 thousand to 38.9 thousand in 2024, a rise of about 5.5 thousand or 16% according to AXIOS Richmond. Virginia also increased its number of out-of-state abortion patients from 15% in 2023 to nearly 25% last year. This rise showcases the extent to which abortion bans in the South have impacted Virginia, the last southern state without an abortion ban. An indicator of the importance of protecting abortion access in Virginia is to protect not just Virginians but women throughout the South.
On Oct. 9, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat candidate Abigail Spanberger faced off in the first and only debate of the Gubernatorial race. One of the biggest debates of the night surrounded abortion rights, with both candidates having substantially different views on the issue.
During the debate, Earle-Sears said that she would support new abortion limits, saying she would push for legislation banning abortion after 15 weeks. Earle-Sears even said she wouldn’t be opposed to a stricter ban, depending on what “the majority of Virginians decide.”
However, during the debate, her opponent, Spanberger, spoke about her position on abortion, “In states where they further restricted abortion access, women have died. I support the constitutional amendment codifying the Roe v. Wade standard.”
The debate was not the first time Earle-Sears had spoken on her opinions on abortion. In a 2021 interview, Earle-Sears called abortion “genocide.”
Recently, Earle-Sears signed Virginia’s in-progress reproductive rights constitutional amendment, writing just above her signature, “I am morally opposed to this bill; no protection for the child.”
On countless occasions, Earle-Sears has said she vows to, “Do everything in my power to stop abortions in Virginia.”
“It’s really insane to think that anyone has any say over another person’s body, especially whether or not they choose to bring a child into the world, which changes everything about someone’s life,” junior Natalie Van Atta said.
If elected, Earle-Sears would force women not just in Virginia but throughout the South to go through with any unwanted pregnancies likely forcing countless women into uncomfortable life situations. Additionally, Earle-Sears’s ideas on abortions would cause an increase in maternal mortality rates.
“If someone cannot pass a baby safely, it is in their best interest to have an abortion in order to survive,” said Van Atta.
If access to abortion in Virginia is limited, it can cause higher maternal mortality rates due to people being forced to carry out pregnancies with no regard for any possible medical concerns, with the pregnancy putting the lives of countless women at risk.
“It [abortion] can be medically necessary like in an ectopic pregnancy or in case you miscarry,” Molly French, junior, said.
Not only can limited access to abortion affect women medically, but it can also affect other aspects of a woman’s life, for example, financial and social aspects.
“Having a baby changes their financial status, and it’s unfair to ask someone to bring a child into the world, especially if they aren’t ready for one,” Van Atta said.
In many instances, Earle-Sears has used adoption and the foster care system as an excuse for her violent stance on abortion.
“The argument a lot of pro-lifers make is just give them up to the foster care system,” French said. “The foster care system sucks. There are millions of kids in there who aren’t getting proper care.”
Spanberger, unlike Earle-Sears, has been a firm believer in the importance of protecting basic human rights and fighting discrimination.
“She [Spanberger] is generally for more people having rights and protecting those rights,” Van Atta said. “From what I’ve seen of Sears, it’s more her just quoting everything Donald Trump says.”
With so much on the line in this election, it’s important to vote for a candidate who supports abortion access for Virginians.
Van Atta continued, “I think that it would generally be in the best interest of anyone with a uterus, or anyone who cares about people with uterus, to vote in favor of human rights.”
