The Overturning of Roe v. Wade
The reactions of the St. Catherine community
By Lauren Trowbridge
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ll know that the events of the past weekend have been a whirlwind of emotions regardless of where you place yourself on the political spectrum. On June 24, 2022, news broke that the United States Supreme Court reached a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. A case dating back to 1973, Roe v. Wade has federally protected the right to an abortion, as well as securing privacy within the healthcare system, for almost fifty years.
As members of the St. Catherine University (SCU) community, a historically women’s college with a passionate student body, this news hit hard. Students, faculty and alumni alike took to social media to express their frustration, anger and fear. This is a monumental decision, and I knew it would be important to document all of the emotion as it was happening.
At 11 am on June 24, a survey was created by Wheel staff and sent out to students, staff and administration regarding the overturning of Roe. This survey asked both general and more personal questions, and every one was optional. It was vital that both sides be heard and seen. By 11:30 am, there had been a dozen responses, and the numbers just kept jumping. By the time it closed, there were thirty in total. Everyone seemed eager to share their thoughts, both positive and negative. The following article is intended to serve as a time capsule: this moment, whether you’re for or against the overturning of Roe v. Wade, is historical.
Protesters gathered all around the country on June 24th. Photo credit: San Francisco Chronicle
The first question asked on this survey was acquiring the consent for the use of quotes in this article, either direct or anonymous. Because of the sensitive nature of this subject, some participants did choose to remain anonymous and will be cited as such.
When asked what they know about Roe v. Wade as a Supreme Court case, there were a wide variety of answers. Some stated it plainly: “It protects a [person’s] right to an abortion,” says one student. Others came with more information: “I know it was a ruling in the 1970s to protect [people’s] rights to reproductive rights and abortions,” states Neve Palubicki ’25 (Fashion Design). Some had done more research on the subject: “I learned that Roe v. Wade not only protects [someone’s] right to an abortion, it also protects an individual’s right to privacy,” explains Emily Cooper ‘25 (ASL Interpreting, Women’s Studies minor).
The next inquiry was whether or not this decision would change the future of healthcare, as there had been a lot of speculation about it in the media. In Minnesota, Governor Walz has stated that he will protect the right to an abortion at the state level. However, some students expressed concern even though Minnesotans have more access than other states. “The influx of pregnant people seeking care from other states will put more pressure on our infrastructure here and make it harder for everyone involved to get seen by a health care provider,” says Kate Yapp ‘23 (Communications, Political Science). Kate Churchill ‘24 is a Nursing major, and says, “My career path upon graduation is on delivering babies and postpartum care…Thinking about the percentage of babies I will probably help deliver who are not wanted, who were products of rape or assault, who were born to underaged mothers not ready to parent and who are being taken to a place they will not [thrive] brings tears to my eyes.”
Charlotte Kadifa ‘23 (History) expressed her concern that this ruling will affect other areas of healthcare, saying, “It will affect miscarriages and whether or not doctors will be allowed to give people medications once a miscarriage has begun. I could see this ruling being used to justify limiting access to birth control as well.”
It’s important to note that while there’s an uproar surrounding this Supreme Court decision, people of color have been facing this kind of healthcare struggle and oppression for years. “[The overturning of Roe v. Wade] will create an even bigger disparity in healthcare for poor women and people of color, as they already face inequitable access to this form of healthcare to begin with,” states Amelia Stermer ‘23 (Public Health).
Regardless of their knowledge level on the subject, it became increasingly obvious through the responses that the overturning of Roe is an issue that many members of our community hold close to their hearts. Responses, regardless of the participant's own stances on abortion, all held the same tone: fear, anger, betrayal, shock. “I feel sick to my stomach,” says Fern Schiffer ‘25 (English). It lit a fire in some students: “[I feel] disgusted, heartbroken, angry [and] hopeless. I want to cry, I want to fight,” says Hannah Olsen (MPH ‘24). “How are we supposed to stay motivated to tackle everything else?” states Liz Connors ‘23 (Art Education). One member of the community put it eloquently with a single word: “Furious.”
As members of the St. Catherine University community, with an intersecting identity as a historically women’s Catholic institution, the way forward is complicated. You can’t talk about this issue without bringing up religion in some way. The official teachings of the Catholic Church state that “direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.” Many members of our community stated their own conflicting views in the survey, and it adds a whole other layer to the already heavy issue.
Many of the participants felt hopeless about this ruling and were unsure of how to move forward. However, there are still options for people to tell the government how we feel. Members of the community answered when asked what we can do next. Many stated that protesting is a strong way to show our support for the issue. “We can donate to abortion access funds (local funds are particularly important…), attend protests, share information…and volunteer in our communities,” says Melody Kosbab ‘24 (Political Science, Public Policy). Hannah Olsen (MPH ‘24) articulated frustration in her answer: “Just fucking vote in the midterms.”
Of the people who answered this survey, 100% of them disagreed with the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Based on what has been gleaned from social media, news sources and the survey alike, it’s clear that if it were up to popular vote, Roe v. Wade would still be intact, if not codified by law. As members of a historically women’s college with a majority population of people with uteruses, we are disproportionately impacted as a community. A lot of people feel hopeless, and it’s important that whatever our stance is on this issue, we don’t become complacent. “As a women-serving institution, especially in the early years, SCU allowed women to pursue things other than childrearing and offered more autonomy for women. The rights of women have always been important to SCU and we as a student body and an institution should do something about the overturning,” states Amelia Stermer ‘23 (Public Health). Melody Her ‘24 (Political Science, Economics) speaks to Minnesotans directly, saying, “Just because our state legalizes abortions should not make you complacent. We need to continue to speak up for the states surrounding us as this is a national issue. Silence is loud, don’t forget.”
If you feel strongly about this issue, there are a multitude of actions you can take. If there’s a petition, sign it. If there’s an election, do your research and VOTE. If there’s a protest, bring a sign and bring a friend. Overall, there is a lot of tension in the St. Catherine University community surrounding the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It’s best summarized by Mollie Pierson ‘25 (Sociology, Economics, WID): “I am hurt, I am angry and I am scared.”
