Voting season is upon us and now that we are of age, we need to be aware of the things we will see on the ballot. This coming November, Amendment 1 will be on the ballot in the state of Tennessee. This is a very controversial issue and since we have voting rights as college students in Tennessee, I think it is important to educate ourselves before voting. 

What is Amendment 1? 

The ballot text for Amendment 1 reads as follows: “Shall Article I, of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section: Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”  

In layman’s terms, Amendment 1 in Tennessee would allow the government to make rules and regulations on abortion, including the termination of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or when the pregnancy is medically dangerous to the mother. Right now, Tennessee has some of the greatest privacy laws regarding abortion, and Amendment 1 would change that. So while this Amendment is not saying that the government will ban, or more strictly regulate abortions within the state of Tennessee, it gives them the ability to do so. 

Contrary to popular belief this is a humanist issue, not a feminist issue. While it is about a woman’s right to her body, it is also about a couple's right to choose. Whether or not to get an abortion should be a private decision that is made by the mother and, if applicable, the father, not by the government. Making decisions regarding abortion are hard enough. Many women and couples are not ready for a child, cannot support another child, or are in medical danger due to the pregnancy. These are just a few reasons for abortion. As we can see, abortion is already a very hard and complex decision, so why make it even harder?

Furthermore, we as college students should care because this directly affects us. According to Planned Parenthood, the age group with the most abortions is 20 to 24 year olds. Whether or not we want to admit it, things happen, and sometimes there are severe consequences for our actions. While I am not saying that every college student that gets pregnant should get an abortion, they should be able to decide for themselves.  

 I am not trying to advocate for abortion. However, I am advocating for the right to choose. Regardless of what your personal beliefs are surrounding the issue, I believe that everyone should have the right to choose for themselves. It is not the government’s role to set restrictions on abortion, especially when they don’t take into account each individual’s circumstances.                   

If you disagree with me on this issue, that is fine because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and beliefs. However, before you pick a side and vote, educate yourselves on the issues and the language of the ballot that you will be seeing this November, if you choose to vote -- which I encourage you to do.