Today, in the 2024 Presidential Election, abortion rights for women across the U.S is a heated discussion and an intense debate. Since the overturn of Roe V. Wade two years ago, Kamala Harris now campaigns with highlights of abortion opportunities and rights. Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to campaign with shifting views on abortion.
Whether liberal or conservative, the perspective on abortion from voters is strong. However, Gen Z specifically has played a pivotal role on the balance beam of abortion rights. By advocating for anti-abortion laws or supporting the protective rights over a woman and her body.
An article from ABCNews states that, “Generation Z is expected to make up more than 40 million potential voters this year, that is almost 17% of the American electorate.”
“There is the capacity for young voters to have a real big impact in terms of who wins in these battleground states,” said Averi Harper, the Deputy Political Director at ABC News. “What we do know about young voters, especially Gen Z voters, is that they are particularly engaged when it comes to social justice issues.”
Efforts of young pro-abortion activists are taking place across the country. Protests, campaigns, and movements for a woman’s right to an abortion are strongly being developed by young voters. Non-partisan polls from the Pew Research Center consistently have shown that 63% of Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. That number is even higher for younger Americans. Almost 73% of Americans ages 18 to 29 support legal abortion.
However, anti-abortion supporters also still hold a strong grip on the pro-life belief and movements. Moving forward with campaigns and anti-abortion groups in the battleground swing-states. Even though most young Americans support legal abortion, other Gen Z voters uphold anti-abortion outlooks heavily. “Now, a “Post-Roe” generation of anti-abortion activists has vowed to keep fighting until the procedure is “not just illegal, but unthinkable” across the country.” states BBCNews.
“36 percent of women compared with 28 percent of men now say that their vote depends on a candidate’s stand on abortion — we find that 44 percent of Gen Z women adopt this voting stance,” says TheHill.
As abortion access is a critical issue in the coming election, the difference of gender stance toward it also differs greatly. More Gen Z women are becoming more distinct from their male counterparts when it comes to abortion attitudes. Leading to the support of Harris and the resolute liberal takes on abortion freedoms, rather than the conservative views of Trump.
With the election closing this fall, abortion is a supreme factor in the voting polls. The democratic and republican views of abortion are firmly held, and Gen Z’s young voters hold a critical role in the election. As they are very well making the decisions that could put someone in the White House.