• Sign In
  • CITY
  • SCHOOLS
  • ART & LIFE
  • PUBLIC SQUARE
  • SPORTS
  • BUSINESS
  • FOOD
  • CALENDAR
  • PHOTOS
  • NEWSLETTER
  • DONATE
  • About us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Mobile app
  • Submit a letter
  • Environment
  • Reparations
  • Evanston History
  • Weddings
  • Obituaries
  • Evanston 101
  • Contact us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • RSS
Skip to content
  • About us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Mobile app
  • Submit a letter
  • Environment
  • Reparations
  • Evanston History
  • Weddings
  • Obituaries
  • Evanston 101
  • Contact us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • RSS
Evanston RoundTable

Evanston RoundTable

Evanston's community newspaper since 1998

  • Sign In
Sign In
  • CITY
  • SCHOOLS
  • ART & LIFE
  • PUBLIC SQUARE
  • SPORTS
  • BUSINESS
  • FOOD
  • CALENDAR
  • PHOTOS
  • NEWSLETTER
  • DONATE
Posted inPublic Square

Letter to the editor: We are now missing a fundamental human right

Avatar photo by Submitted June 27th, 2022June 28th, 2022

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Sign up for our free newsletter to have Evanston news delivered directly to your inbox every weekday!


As a minister who prays to the Spirit of Life and the Source of Love, I am grief stricken. Bringing a child into the world is one of the most complicated, personal, and life-altering endeavors any person can undertake. If there is one thing that should be planned in this life, it is parenthood.

Credit: Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will lead many states to erase the complexity and intimacy of what should be a most fundamental aspect of human agency.

Every pregnant person, regardless of the situation or health risks, can now be mandated to continue their pregnancy to full term.

Without alternatives in reproductive health for pregnant people, the rights of people to participate in decisions about their own healthcare and family planning are stolen from them.

It is only in very recent history that the decision of when and if to terminate a pregnancy has been taken out of the hands of the person carrying the child and placed into the hands of politicians and judges who are unaware of any of the intimate complexities.

Without the fundamental human right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to full term, a right established almost 50 years ago, the ability to consider the particulars of health, life circumstances, the well-being of the unborn child and of existing family members, is stripped from the only rightful place those decisions belong: with the pregnant person.

Increasing polarization has made many of us less tolerant of nuance or complexity. As a result, our collective ability to imagine a way of reducing unwanted pregnancies or better supporting life beyond the womb is lost.

With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, those who value the complex, interconnected web of life that extends well beyond the womb, need to demand protection for all of our essential human rights, whether or not they are enumerated.

Rev. Eileen Wiviott
Senior Minister Unitarian Church of Evanston

Support the RoundTable!

As a financial supporter of the RoundTable, your contribution throughout the year powers our work covering all the vital news that matters in Evanston! Please consider making an additional gift!

$
$
$

Your contribution is tax-deductible. We appreciate your support!

Support the RoundTable!

Did you know that the Evanston RoundTable is a nonprofit newsroom? Donate today to support community journalism!

$
$
$

Your contribution is tax-deductible. We appreciate your support!

Latest News

  • Week in review: Your Sunday digest of the news October 1st, 2023
  • Photos: ETHS crowns homecoming royalty in spirited halftime show October 1st, 2023
  • At This Time September 30th, 2023
  • Fountain Square fiesta served up with strong helping of pride September 30th, 2023
  • Last-minute score lifts Kits to homecoming win over Trevians September 30th, 2023

Trending

  • What happened to the city's Christmas tree in Fountain Square?
    What happened to the city's Christmas tree in Fountain Square?
  • Last-minute score lifts Kits to homecoming win over Trevians
    Last-minute score lifts Kits to homecoming win over Trevians
  • Photos: ETHS crowns homecoming royalty in spirited halftime show
    Photos: ETHS crowns homecoming royalty in spirited halftime show
  • Fountain Square fiesta served up with strong helping of pride
    Fountain Square fiesta served up with strong helping of pride
  • Robert G. Pottinger, 1947-2023
    Robert G. Pottinger, 1947-2023
  • Jewish deli to open in Golden Olympic spot this spring
    Jewish deli to open in Golden Olympic spot this spring
  • Police chief highlights CAIR Card, mobile app in report on her 1st year
    Police chief highlights CAIR Card, mobile app in report on her 1st year
  • Guest essay: As a mom who works on Central Street, I oppose Ryan Field plan
    Guest essay: As a mom who works on Central Street, I oppose Ryan Field plan
  • New 'senior only' DMV services debut at Civic Center
    New 'senior only' DMV services debut at Civic Center
  • Rezoning opponents dominate second Ryan Field Land Use Commission meeting
    Rezoning opponents dominate second Ryan Field Land Use Commission meeting
Evanston RoundTable
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • RSS
  • Home
  • City News
  • Schools
  • Art & Life
  • Public Square
  • Sports
  • Food and Dining
  • Community Calendar
  • Reports & Analyses
  • Obituaries
  • Podcasts and video
  • Reparations
  • Evanston History
  • Our mission
  • About us
  • Advisory Committee
  • Board of Directors
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Become a member
  • Get the newsletter
  • Read us on your mobile device
  • Submit a letter to the editor
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • Evanston RoundTable privacy notice

The Evanston RoundTable is the community’s leading source of news about local government, schools, civic and artistic activities, and other important issues facing our city. We seek to foster civic engagement and empower people to address complex issues facing our diverse community, promoting a better understanding and appreciation of people of all races, ethnicities, and income levels.

Evanston Roundtable
1514 Elmwood Avenue
Suite 2
Evanston, Illinois 60201
847.864.7741

© 2023 Evanston RoundTable Media NFP. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic Evanston RoundTable privacy notice
I don't have an account I already have an account

Sign In

We've recently sent you an authentication link. Please, check your inbox!

Sign in with a password below, or sign in using your email.

Get a code sent to your email to sign in, or sign in using a password.

Enter the code you received via email to sign in, or sign in using a password.

Subscribe to our newsletters

Sign in with your email

Lost your password?

Try a different email

Send another code

Sign in with a password

OR

By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions.

Close