It’s Roe’s Problem: Gendered Ways College Students Are Emotionally Reacting to the U.S. Abortion Ban

In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark case of Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, leaving abortion access up to individual states. Among others, Texas shut down all legal access to procedural abortion and abortion pills, posing dire risks to young adults engaging in sexual activity. Using grounded theory techniques to analyze qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 32 undergraduate students from a large public university in Texas, this article documents the emotional consequences of the abortion ban among a population that is known for their high rates of sexual activity, both casually in hookups and within relationships. This study focuses on the gendered ways college students emotionally react to the statewide ban on abortion. Results indicate that many women report experiencing the loss of reproductive rights as an emotional burden, sparking their fear, anxiety, and stress. This study details how students’ reactions to the abortion ban are shaped by gendered health inequalities and perceived roles in reproduction.