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Living in this modern times means that going to college is no longer as simple as just choosing your favorite state, if you want to be by a beach and if it has a good program for your degree. Now you need to be aware of your rights as a human.
Reproductive rights are a large concern now with certain states like Louisiana and Mississippi restricting and banning abortion rights access.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I care about abortion rights when I’m in college?”
College sex!
This is a real reality and as a parent, or a young adult going to college, this is a reality you need to think about. If you are planning, or even not directly planning, to be sexually active in college there is always a risk that you could get pregnant, or your partner. And while everyone may think they knows what they would exactly do in that moment, do you really?
Don’t you want the ability to make a decision as your thoughts may change and your life may change? If you are on the fence with your answer, then you want to be in a state that gives you the right to make a decision when the time comes.
At least 60% of people not in college between 18 to 59 say reproductive health laws are at least somewhat important to their decision about whether to enroll in a particular college or university. (Source)
Additionally nearly three quarters of enrolled students state their college/university choice was influenced by reproductive health laws. (Source)
There is a fantastic website available that you can see reproduction rights by state to help you in your decision making!
Reproductiverights.org provides an interactive map for each state with their laws.
Also, according to Status of Women Data,
In general, reproductive rights are strongest in the Mid-Atlantic region, New England, and the West. In addition to Oregon, the top ten jurisdictions include California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Washington.
Additionally, Status of Women Data includes a really fantastic ranking of states by reproductive rights which I highly recommend checking out!
Not only do these limitations impact abortion rights, but this can begin, and will begin, to have cascading impacts on protection such as condoms, the morning after pill or birth control.
As young adults, it is important to consider where you end up. Not only because it is college, but this is a place that you ultimately may settle down. You may get friends in the area, a job in the area and it may be somewhere that you choose to remain longer term. Make sure to think hard on it, do you research and make a wise decision.
