Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) set the stage for Roe decision, as it reversed a criminal conviction for providing contraceptives to married couples
Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972) set the same standard for single individuals
Roe v. Wade was decided on January 22, 1973
Filed by “Jane Roe”, a Texas woman seeking a way to terminate her pregnancy
Texas law at the time only allowed for abortions in the case that the mother’s life is at risk
Rendered similar laws unconstitutional
“Jane Roe” is now known as Norma McCorvey, a waitress who sought an abortion in her home state of Texas, but filed a suit against the Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade
Norma had casual affairs with men, as well as women, through her adolescent years and was briefly married at age 16
Before her suit, she gave birth to three children, all of whom were put up for adoption, including the child that lead her to the lawsuit
By the time the case made it to the Supreme Court, Norma had already given birth and never had an abortion
After the landmark decision, Norma began volunteering for the National Organization of Women in 1981
She remained pro-choice until she became a “born-again Christian” in 1995, which forced her to switch her views and denounce her sexuality against her will
She remained opposed to the decision in Roe v. Wade until her death in 2017
Norma never wished, nor planned, for her case to become a national issue
Even with the popularity of the case, Norma still never got the chance to have an abortion, which was all she ever wanted
Her story of how she became pregnant with her third child, included claims of rape and from being with a partner that she believed herself to be in love with
She recanted her claim of rape in 1987
Her final romantic relationship with her partner, Connie Gonzalez, ended after 35 years with her having to publicly renounce her sexuality
Norma grew up attending Catholic schools and even a reform school
There were reports of physical abuse from her mother for her sexual activity with both men and women
She couldn’t find a true home on either side
Work Cited
Langer, Emily. “Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade Decision Legalizing
Abortion
Nationwide, Dies at 69.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 18 Feb. 2017,
www.washingtonpost.com/national/norma-mccorvey-jane-roe-of-roe-v-
wade-decision-legalizing-abortion-dies-at-69/2017/02/18/24b83108-396e-
11e6-8f7c-d4c723a2becb_story.html.
Planned Parenthood. Roe v. Wade: Its History and Impact - Planned Parenthood.
www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3013/9611/5870/Abortion_Roe_
History.pdf.
Prager, Joshua. “The Roe Baby.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 9 Sept.
2021,
www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/09/jane-roe-v-wade-baby-
norma-mccorvey/620009/.
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