Will abortion be banned in America?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 12 May 2022
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A leaked document from America’s highest court suggests that it is ready to strike down a 1973 landmark case that made abortion legal across the US. If that does happen then it will be down to individual states to decide how they react. Charmaine Cozier explores whether this means abortion will be banned across America.
Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham
(Protesters at a Texas Rally for Abortion Rights in Houston, May 7 2022. Credit: Mark Felix/Getty images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I had this secret. I robbed banks in my spare time. |
| 0:06.3 | Lives less ordinary from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:09.6 | This is not a good thing to do because police are after you. |
| 0:14.8 | Find out more at the end of this podcast. |
| 0:18.1 | Welcome to The Inquiry. |
| 0:19.7 | I'm Charmaine Cozier, each week one question for expert witnesses and an answer. |
| 0:27.3 | May 2022, Washington DC. |
| 0:31.3 | Two groups of people are chanting and shouting at each other. |
| 0:35.3 | Some wave signs at their opponents. |
| 0:39.3 | One, and written in black ink on neon pink paper reads, |
| 0:43.3 | my body is not a political playground. |
| 0:46.3 | Another one says, pray to end abortion. |
| 0:50.3 | The location for this protest is outside the US Supreme Court. |
| 0:54.3 | It's at the centre of the latest twist in a debate |
| 0:57.3 | that's been consistently contentious in America for decades. |
| 1:02.3 | A document leaked from the country's highest court |
| 1:05.3 | suggests that it's ready to overturn a landmark case |
| 1:08.3 | that made abortion legal across the US. |
| 1:13.3 | If that does happen, then it will be down to lawmakers in individual states |
| 1:18.3 | to decide whether they want to ban it or allow it. |
| 1:22.3 | The days following the leak have seen more protests in other parts of the US |
| 1:27.3 | and increased scrutiny on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. |
... |
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