Roe v. Wade had broader impact than the public realizes, says author of ‘Beyond Abortion’

In the 45 years since Roe v. Wade was decided, it has been a focal point for both anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights groups. But the opinion in the 1973 case has also been used by activists of liberal, libertarian and conservative ideologies to develop privacy arguments for issues ranging from access to experimental drugs to euthanasia to personal data security to sex worker rights.

In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles speaks with Mary Ziegler, author of the new book Beyond Abortion: Roe v. Wade and the Battle for Privacy. Ziegler discusses what Roe v. Wade’s legacy has been, and how it advanced—or failed to advance—Americans’ right to privacy. She also speculates on what the impact would be for society and the U.S. legal system if Roe were overturned today.

In This Podcast:

Lee Rawles
Mary Ziegler is the Stearns Weaver Miller Professor at Florida State University College of Law. Her research and teaching focus on the history and law governing the family, reproduction, gender, sexuality, employment and torts. She is the author of Beyond Abortion: Roe v. Wade and the Battle for Privacy (2018). Her first book, After Roe: The Lost History of the Abortion Debate (2015), won the 2014 Harvard University Press Thomas J. Wilson Memorial Prize for best first manuscript. She previously taught at St. Louis University School of Law. Follow her on Twitter at @Mary_zieglerfsu.