Jane Roe

Jane Roe was the pseudonym given to Norma Leah McCorvey, the plaintiff in the landmark United States Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which led to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn anti-abortion laws in Texas and other states, citing the Fourteenth Amendment and the Ninth Amendment. The case was argued by Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee before the Supreme Court of the United States, with Harry Blackmun writing the majority opinion, joined by William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan Jr., Potter Stewart, Thurgood Marshall, and Lewis F. Powell Jr.. The decision was influenced by the Griswold v. Connecticut case, which established the right to privacy under the Fourteenth Amendment, and was later cited in cases such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.

● Early Life

Norma Leah McCorvey was born on September 22, 1947, in Simmesport, Louisiana, to Mary and Olin McCorvey. She grew up in a troubled home with her parents and two older sisters, Melissa and Mary. Her family moved to Dallas, Texas, where she attended R.L. Turner High School and later Mabel Clements High School in Arlington, Texas. McCorvey became pregnant at the age of 15 with her first child, Melissa, who was adopted by Catholic Charities. She later married Woody McCorvey and had a second child, Jennifer, but the marriage ended in divorce. McCorvey's experiences with unplanned pregnancy and adoption would later influence her involvement in the abortion rights movement, which was supported by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Organization for Women.

● Abortion Case and Trial

In 1969, McCorvey became pregnant for the third time and sought an abortion in Texas, but was denied due to the state's strict anti-abortion laws. She was referred to Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington, two young lawyers who were looking for a plaintiff to challenge the Texas abortion ban. McCorvey agreed to be the plaintiff, and the case was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas under the pseudonym Jane Roe. The case was argued before a three-judge panel, which ruled in favor of Roe in 1970. The state of Texas appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, which agreed to hear the case in 1971. The case was argued on December 13, 1971, and reargued on October 11, 1972, due to changes in the Supreme Court's composition, with William Rehnquist and Lewis F. Powell Jr. joining the court. The Supreme Court's decision, written by Harry Blackmun, was issued on January 22, 1973, and cited the Fourteenth Amendment and the Ninth Amendment in overturning the Texas abortion ban. The decision was influenced by the Griswold v. Connecticut case and was later cited in cases such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, and was supported by organizations such as the American Medical Association and the National Abortion Federation.

● Later Life and Activism

After the Roe v. Wade decision, McCorvey became a prominent figure in the abortion rights movement, working with organizations such as the National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She also wrote an autobiography, I Am Roe, which was published in 1994. In the 1990s, McCorvey underwent a conversion to Christianity and became an anti-abortion activist, working with organizations such as the Operation Rescue and the Texas Right to Life Committee. She also wrote a second autobiography, Won by Love, which was published in 1997. McCorvey's conversion was influenced by her relationships with Flip Benham and Philip "Flip" Benham, and was supported by organizations such as the Christian Coalition of America and the Family Research Council. Despite her changed views, McCorvey remained a complex and nuanced figure, and her legacy continues to be debated by scholars and activists such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor.

● Death and Legacy

Norma Leah McCorvey died on February 18, 2017, at the age of 69, in Katy, Texas. Her death was met with tributes from abortion rights activists and organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the National Organization for Women. Despite her later anti-abortion activism, McCorvey's legacy as the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade remains a powerful symbol of the abortion rights movement, and her case continues to be cited in Supreme Court decisions such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. McCorvey's story has also been the subject of numerous books, films, and documentaries, including The Handmaid's Tale and Vera Drake, and has been referenced in popular culture by artists such as Kanye West and Lady Gaga. Her legacy continues to be felt in the ongoing debate over abortion rights in the United States, with politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell weighing in on the issue. Category:American women