Published by CUNY Law Review

Constructing Immorality: Abortion and Family Policing

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

JASMINE WALI

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, advocates across the political spectrum declared that the foster care system would be overwhelmed by an influx of “unwanted” children. Adoption became a central talking point. Anti-abortion proponents stated that adoption was a solution for these families, and that foster and adoption systems needed to be strengthened. Supporters of reproductive choice pointed out the seeming hypocrisy of the “pro-life” movement by highlighting all the children awaiting adoption in foster care.

Using foster and adoptive systems as either an alternative to abortion or as a talking point around the topic of abortion demonstrates a fundamental belief about children in these systems: that they are unwanted. The swift connection the public made between banning abortion, more “unwanted” children, and an overwhelmed child welfare system is steeped in history.

View the full CUNY Law Review article here.