Maggie Smith

Because my daughter has fewer fundamental rights than her mother or grandmother ever had

I am voting for Kamala Harris because she will work tirelessly to restore and protect reproductive freedom. As vice president, Harris has been the White House’s strongest advocate for abortion rights; as president, she will work with Congress to codify abortion rights and invalidate state bans and restrictions. Despite the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, Americans overwhelmingly support access to abortion, birth control, and IVF.

I live in Ohio, a “purple” battleground state—blue in the cities, primarily red in rural areas—with a Republican governor and attorney general, both of whom have been eager to restrict abortion. Without federal protections, when issues like reproductive rights are left to the states, families like mine are at the mercy of conservative lawmakers. It boggles my mind that during my teens, twenties, and thirties, I had more rights than my fifteen-year-old daughter has today. It boggles her mind, too. Even my mother had the protection of Roe when she became pregnant with me and my sisters in 1976, 1978, and 1980. Three children in four years! If she had not been prepared to have another child, or if her life or future reproductive health had been at risk with any one of us, she had choices. With all of my pregnancies, I had choices. When I miscarried twice between the birth of my daughter and birth of my son, not once was I afraid that I would be denied medical care, or worse—reported.

My fifteen-year-old daughter has fewer choices—fewer fundamental rights—than her mother or grandmother ever had. She’s being dragged back to her great-grandmother’s freedoms—which were incredibly limited—and sees it for what it is: an attempt to control women. Abortion is health care. Reproductive freedom is a human rights issue. Enough is enough.

Maggie Smith is the best-selling author of eight books, including the forthcoming Dear Writer.