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.