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https://blackgirlnerds.com/how-abortion-affects-higher-education/
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey cases that defined abortion as a constitutional right will negatively affect college women’s ability to attend and finish college in the upcoming years. Research shows that women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely than other students to take breaks from school, or leave altogether, to care for their children.
The truth is that abortion is a higher-ed issue. Most abortions in the United States are provided to women in their 20s, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women aged 20-24 accounted for 28 percent of abortions, while those aged 25-29 accounted for 29 percent.
Students go to college for many different reasons: to improve their employment opportunities, earn more money, and obtain a good job. The right to choose affects educational outcomes. The ability to choose when to have a family also plays a major role in a college student’s future. In one survey, 20% of abortion patients said pregnancy would negatively affect their education, career, or other goals.
Students, in general, are struggling due to the Covid pandemic. They are submitting sub-standard work, missing class, and many are homeless. As an educator, I communicate with students every day who are navigating college life with anxiety and worry. I see disconnection, exhaustion, and defeat. For some, the struggles are temporary. But mental health struggles can be long-lasting and even life-threatening.
At this point, it’s unclear how the Supreme Court’s decision will show up. It’s safe to say that most states will severely restrict abortion, as we see it starting to happen already. In the upcoming months, 22 states are poised to ban abortion. Confusion over what is permitted will continue to leave college students unsure about what to do if a condom breaks or they forget to take a birth control pill.
The decision is disturbing, even for those who are against abortion but still feel that a woman has authority over her own body. I suppose politicians and activists just hope that college students will have less sex but that is ridiculous. The mental health consequences of attending college in a state limited or with no abortion access can be devastating. How do we know? Because we can study the history of past abortion restrictions and the mental-health fallout they caused.
The American Psychological Association says, “…people who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem compared with those who can obtain abortions.” We know that abortion targets our most vulnerable — students of color, first-generation students, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. They are the ones who will have fewer resources if they need contraception and abortions.
The cruelest part of the abortion bans is towards victims of rape. It’s detestable and heart-wrenching to think about a woman being forced to carry a child that is a result of such a heinous act. Although some states that ban abortions include exceptions for rape and incest, these exceptions are difficult to use.
In many cases, it will be easier for women who seek to terminate a pregnancy resulting from rape to travel to another state than to jump through the hurdles they’ll face in their home state. For example, in Utah, a rape victim must file a police report to begin to make use of the exception. Yet most rape victims never go to the police. They have a good reason not to.
Oftentimes in higher education, I frequently hear from other professors that “we aren’t therapists.” But student mental health, in my opinion, is our responsibility no matter how much some bark otherwise. We are often their first line of defense against challenges. No, we are not therapists. But we have students who need support, and faculty should want their students to feel comfortable coming to them. I make it known that students can approach me for help. If I don’t have the information, I’ll find someone who does.
For many college students, the right to reproductive autonomy depends on where they attend school.For women of color, the schools they are considering must be schools that are in states that provide opportunities to access abortion if they need to and, more importantly, access to reproductive health care.
The overall effect on college enrollment will probably not be that noticeable. I think it has more to do with how states will react to the ruling and the message it gives to students. There is something to be said about living in a state that doesn’t believe you are an autonomous human being with the power to make decisions about yourself. This is the factor that weighs heavily on many college students.
At this moment, students can advocate for their campus health centers to provide family services. Students can also petition their school to voice its support of reproductive choice.
It’s going to be important that students also think beyond the campus. Because most colleges do not provide abortion services, students seek medical care in their community. Students can get involved with local organizations that provide support and resources for people who do not have access. Students choosing out-of-state colleges can avoid states that restrict abortion rights.
Unfortunately, the people most impacted by abortion restrictions often don’t have the privilege of choosing where they live. By getting involved on campus and in their communities, college students can work towards protecting their rights and the rights of others.
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey cases that defined abortion as a constitutional right will negatively affect college women’s ability to attend and finish college in the upcoming years. Research shows that women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely than other students to take breaks from school, or leave altogether, to care for their children.
The truth is that abortion is a higher-ed issue. Most abortions in the United States are provided to women in their 20s, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women aged 20-24 accounted for 28 percent of abortions, while those aged 25-29 accounted for 29 percent.
Students go to college for many different reasons: to improve their employment opportunities, earn more money, and obtain a good job. The right to choose affects educational outcomes. The ability to choose when to have a family also plays a major role in a college student’s future. In one survey, 20% of abortion patients said pregnancy would negatively affect their education, career, or other goals.
Students, in general, are struggling due to the Covid pandemic. They are submitting sub-standard work, missing class, and many are homeless. As an educator, I communicate with students every day who are navigating college life with anxiety and worry. I see disconnection, exhaustion, and defeat. For some, the struggles are temporary. But mental health struggles can be long-lasting and even life-threatening.
At this point, it’s unclear how the Supreme Court’s decision will show up. It’s safe to say that most states will severely restrict abortion, as we see it starting to happen already. In the upcoming months, 22 states are poised to ban abortion. Confusion over what is permitted will continue to leave college students unsure about what to do if a condom breaks or they forget to take a birth control pill.
The decision is disturbing, even for those who are against abortion but still feel that a woman has authority over her own body. I suppose politicians and activists just hope that college students will have less sex but that is ridiculous. The mental health consequences of attending college in a state limited or with no abortion access can be devastating. How do we know? Because we can study the history of past abortion restrictions and the mental-health fallout they caused.
The American Psychological Association says, “…people who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem compared with those who can obtain abortions.” We know that abortion targets our most vulnerable — students of color, first-generation students, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. They are the ones who will have fewer resources if they need contraception and abortions.
The cruelest part of the abortion bans is towards victims of rape. It’s detestable and heart-wrenching to think about a woman being forced to carry a child that is a result of such a heinous act. Although some states that ban abortions include exceptions for rape and incest, these exceptions are difficult to use.
In many cases, it will be easier for women who seek to terminate a pregnancy resulting from rape to travel to another state than to jump through the hurdles they’ll face in their home state. For example, in Utah, a rape victim must file a police report to begin to make use of the exception. Yet most rape victims never go to the police. They have a good reason not to.
Oftentimes in higher education, I frequently hear from other professors that “we aren’t therapists.” But student mental health, in my opinion, is our responsibility no matter how much some bark otherwise. We are often their first line of defense against challenges. No, we are not therapists. But we have students who need support, and faculty should want their students to feel comfortable coming to them. I make it known that students can approach me for help. If I don’t have the information, I’ll find someone who does.
For many college students, the right to reproductive autonomy depends on where they attend school.For women of color, the schools they are considering must be schools that are in states that provide opportunities to access abortion if they need to and, more importantly, access to reproductive health care.
The overall effect on college enrollment will probably not be that noticeable. I think it has more to do with how states will react to the ruling and the message it gives to students. There is something to be said about living in a state that doesn’t believe you are an autonomous human being with the power to make decisions about yourself. This is the factor that weighs heavily on many college students.
At this moment, students can advocate for their campus health centers to provide family services. Students can also petition their school to voice its support of reproductive choice.
It’s going to be important that students also think beyond the campus. Because most colleges do not provide abortion services, students seek medical care in their community. Students can get involved with local organizations that provide support and resources for people who do not have access. Students choosing out-of-state colleges can avoid states that restrict abortion rights.
Unfortunately, the people most impacted by abortion restrictions often don’t have the privilege of choosing where they live. By getting involved on campus and in their communities, college students can work towards protecting their rights and the rights of others.
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
New series premieres September 2nd.
*Writer’s Note: The contributor of this piece knows the book’s author but is committed to giving a fair and honest book review. Because in this economy, ain’t nobody got time (or money) for anything less.
Buffy. The Charmed Ones. The little wizard boy written by that transphobic British lady. Who doesn’t love a good “Chosen One” story? You know the ones where an average Joe or Jane discovers that they’re actually a superpowered do-gooder destined to save the world? The trope of the reluctant hero struggling to juggle their new responsibilities with the mundane life they took for granted is well worn territory. But what happens when our underdog hero isn’t reluctant or chosen, but embraces their role with confidence, hard work, and unabashed Blackness? That’s what screenwriter and author Leon Langford (Hot Seat, Kontaxt) delves into with his debut YA novel StarLion: Thieves of The Red Night.
A City in Crisis
Released in 2021, StarLion: Thieves of the Red Night follows the exploits of 14-year-old Jordan Harris, a Black American 8th grader living in an alternate version of Houston, TX. In this world superheroes exist thanks to some humans being imbued with a bit more “stardust” than the average person (we’re all made up of the stuff actually). Jordan has the gift of gravity manipulation. He can take invisible graviton particles (a real concept) and can manipulate them for a wide range of feats, from running alongside tall buildings, creating concussive blasts, and more.
In this world, supes aren’t only enhanced humans, but they are revenue generators a la Homelander and The Seven team on Amazon’s anti-hero franchise The Boys. Like those employed by Vaught International, the major players in Langford’s universe also have toy lines, brand deals, and all the celebrity trappings a capitalistic society has to offer. But in StarLion, supes are united a shared banner much different that good ol’ American greenbacks. They’re united by collective trauma and grief.
Ten years prior to the start of the story, a villain of unimaginable power overwhelmed Houston in a cataclysmic event dubbed “The Green Night.” The epic battle royale left multiple heroes and hundreds of average Houstonians dead, including Jordan’s parents. Now raised by his older sister Khadijah, Jordan channels his grief by fighting crime as Houston’s version of a friendly, neighborhood Spiderman. But in the restrictive new world order that followed “The Green Night,” bureaucracy reigns supreme and vigilantism is a criminal offense. For Jordan, that means hiding the extent of his powers while simultaneously fighting crime in secret defiance of his sister.
A Hero Rises…and Stumbles
Unlike Jordan, some of the superpowered choose to live ordinary lives, while others use their powers for villainy. Then there are those who attend special academies to become licensed heroes. Think X-Men meets Hogwarts, with just a tiny pinch of Euphoria (minus the drugs). When Jordan’s vigilantism catches up with him, he’s made an offer he can’t refuse: Go to jail or infiltrate one of these academies to root out an evil plot whose roots go far deeper than Jordan’s handlers realize. It’s life and death stakes on a grand scale, amplified by the most dangerous environment imaginable. High school.
Despite being a sci-fi coming of age tale, StarLion shines brightest when looking into the machinations of a non-traditional Black family in crisis. Jordan is a teenager testing his limits while coping with a unique set of identity issues. Meanwhile, his sister Khadijah navigates life as a young woman forced into a sort of single motherhood. Khadijah’s job as a cop further stokes her fears over Jordan encountering police, mimicking similar fears Black mothers have in real life. That stress is compounded by the earthshaking family secrets she’s been forced to carry as the head of their household. Author Leon Langford does a thoughtful, if all too brief, look into how this grieving family holds it together in a world drowned in chaos. These dynamics will undoubtedly be explored further down in the StarLion series as Langford builds upon the story’s emotional center.
A Distraction or Two
However, while StarLion embraces the idea of being special without being “chosen,” it contradicts itself with an overreliance on familial legacy for supporting characters. The story repeatedly reminds us which students are related to academy staff or descended from the “gods” of ancient civilizations. After a while, the endless references to Zeus and the Greek Olympians becomes repetitive, especially in a book where the main protagonist is Black American. Even Jordan suffers a bit from these contradictions but thankfully not by much.
Another misstep in StarLion lies not in its prose, but in its audiobook currently on Audible. Voiced by actor VonDexter Montegut II, the Audible version is an equally, if not more exciting read than the standard book thanks to Montegut’s nuanced portrayal of Jordan. But there are a handful of technical errors where a sentence may be repeated, or a revised take is played after the original one. These errors in editing are few but noticeable. Hopefully, they will be corrected with updates to the audiobook and/or as the series progresses with future books.
Achievements Abound
But despite its few missteps, StarLion still has plenty of achievements. Its examination of systemic racism, privilege, and genocide through the lens of non-traditional heroes is both clever and heartbreaking. Considering the real life whitewashing of basic history in our own reality, these undercover lessons in StarLion couldn’t be more relevant.
Finally, Langford manages to introduce his StarLion world with a level of writing that is both age appropriate and sharp. He doesn’t talk down to the primary 14-year-old+ audience, and the book manages to tackle other relevant social issues in a ways that are easily digestible for readers of all ages, without beating the reader over the head.
StarLion: Thieves of the Red Night is a delightful, fun, and at times emotional read and an excellent entry into what is sure to be an exciting book series. With his debut novel, writer Leon Langford crafts a lead protagonist who is exciting, flawed, and inspiring. It’s an excellent summertime read for young teens and adults alike.
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