ST. LUIE COUNTY, Fla. — Saturday is the first anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
The divide between pro-choice and pro-life advocates heightened exactly one year ago. People on both sides of the abortion issue are reflecting on how the nation has changed over the past year.
The two sides of the abortion debate are seen clearly in St. Lucie County.
Politics
Pro-choice advocates gather in Stuart year after Roe v. Wade overturned
“It’s heart wrenching to think that someone doesn’t have that choice to make because of the state of the law,” said Krista Storey, Democratic Women’s Club of St. Lucie County chairwoman.
Storey said the decision has left a consequential impact on women.
“It’s scary out there,” Storey said. “It’s very, very concerning and the anxiety among women is, I think, increasing probably daily. Thinking that you don’t have your own right to control your own body, that families can’t make their own choices.”
St. Lucie County Republic Party Chairman Kenny Nail said the ruling was a huge step.
“Abortion is first-degree murder as it’s written in the state of Florida statute,” Nail said. “I think it’s evil to say anything other than it is a child, it is a life, and it deserves to be able to come to its own, to be able to live to that true God-given’s potential that God has given them.”
Nail also said this is personal for him
“I was 19 years old right out of high school,” Nail said. “She got pregnant. I was excited. She was depressed and within 3 months of the pregnancy, without my knowledge, she aborted the child, and I had no say.”
Nail is now hoping for tougher restrictions, including the passing of Senate Bill 300 also known as the “Heartbeat Bill”.
The bill which would ban abortions after six weeks was supposed to take effect on July 1, but the ongoing lawsuit against the state’s 15-week ban passed last year by the legislature has delayed the bill.
“I absolutely think this is another step backwards,” Storey said. “A six-week ban is virtually a complete ban. You don’t even know at that point whether you’re pregnant or not and then all your choices are removed from you.”
The decision is unlikely to bridge this divide, but both sides of the abortion debate said they plan to continue to fight the battle for the rights of women and the unborn.
