A new abortion restriction took effect in Texas on Sept. 1. The bill, Senate Bill 8, was signed by Texas’ Governor Greg Abbott, and it prohibits women from having abortions as early as six weeks into their pregnancy. Abortion rights advocates have challenged the new law, which they considered “one of the most extreme nationwide and the strictest in Texas,” according to The Texas Tribune.

     The Supreme Court refused to block the Texas abortion ban in a 5-4 vote on Aug. 31. The three justices appointed by President Donald Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — joined two other conservative justices in supporting the abortion ban. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s three liberal justices opposed the ban. 

     President Joe Biden stated that the restriction has “unleashed unconstitutional chaos and empowers self-anointed enforcers to have devastating impacts,” as reported by The Texas Tribune. “Complete strangers will now be entitled to inject themselves in the most private and personal health decisions faced by women,” Biden added. 

     The first restrictive law on abortion was passed in 1821, making it illegal for a pregnant woman to receive or take any type of “poison” intended for miscarriage. The current move to ban abortions occurred for a variety of reasons. It was part of a backlash against the growing women’s rights movement, which advocates for “voluntary motherhood.” Although the movement did not support abortion, some felt that the demand for birth control was a threat to male dominance. Others think that restricting abortion is part of an effort to control women and confine them to a traditional childbearing role. This debate over whether abortion should be a legal has been a prevalent issue for the past 200 years. 

     Sophomore Dea Pulatani said she disagrees with the new abortion restrictions in Texas. “I believe that important human rights are being taken away from these women, and we see public opinion being lost within the new restrictions,” Pulatani said. “I think that women will start to figure out different and harmful ways to perform abortions, which in turn will affect them negatively,” she added.

     After the abortion restrictions were passed in Texas, Planned Parenthood condemned the ban, tweeting: “No matter what, we aren’t backing down and we are still fighting. Everyone deserves access to abortion.”  There have been multiple protests against this ban throughout the country, including the women’s rights march in New York City on Oct. 2. 

     An anonymous 52-year-old female said, “I do not agree with the new abortion restrictions in Texas. The new abortion restrictions are too narrow. I believe that abortion should be allowed for up to six months into pregnancy. Many times, individuals may not even know they are pregnant until their third month of pregnancy.”

     Despite these protests, the Texas law has not been changed.