How Abortion Became a Political Issue

Abortion has existed for thousands of years, practiced across cultures and civilisations as a necessary part of reproductive healthcare. Yet today, abortion is one of the most politically divisive issues in the world. How did a medical procedure become a political battleground? The answer lies in power, control, and the manipulation of morality for political gain.

Abortion Wasn’t Always Political

For most of history, abortion was not a religious or political issue. In fact, early medical texts from Ancient Egypt, Greece, and China describe abortion as a routine practice. Even within Christianity, abortion was largely unregulated until the mid-19th century, when male doctors and religious institutions began to criminalize midwifery and reproductive healthcare—not for moral reasons, but to control the medical profession.

In early America and Australia, “abortion before quickening” (when fetal movement is first felt, around 16–20 weeks) was widely accepted. It was only in the late 1800s that laws restricting abortion began to emerge, driven largely by male-dominated medical organisations like the American Medical Association and religious institutions trying to regulate women’s bodies.

The Rise of the Anti-Abortion Movement

Abortion did not become a key political issue until the mid-20th century. Before then, even conservative politicians rarely mentioned it. The shift happened for two major reasons:

1. The Women’s Rights Movement – As women fought for equal rights, access to contraception, and workplace independence, abortion became symbolic of bodily autonomy. Those who opposed gender equality saw restricting abortion as a way to keep women in traditional roles.
2. Religious and Political Manipulation – In the 1970s, conservative religious leaders in the United States intentionally politicized abortion to unite right-wing voters. Groups like the Moral Majority realized they could use abortion to rally political support—not because they cared about "life," but because it was an effective wedge issue to gain power.

This strategy spread worldwide, influencing anti-abortion policies in Australia, Europe, and beyond.

Abortion Bans Are About Control—Not Life

If abortion bans were truly about protecting life, governments would:

✔️ Provide universal healthcare and affordable contraception.

✔️ Support paid parental leave, childcare, and financial assistance for parents.

✔️ Listen to medical experts, who overwhelmingly agree that abortion is safe and necessary healthcare.

Instead, anti-abortion laws focus on controlling women, punishing those who refuse motherhood, and creating barriers to reproductive choice.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Abortion became political because controlling reproduction is one of the most effective ways to control society. But history has shown that people will always fight back.

Access to abortion is not just a medical issue—it is a human rights issue. And just as it was politicised for control, it can be reclaimed for freedom.

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1. Reagan, L. J. (1997). *When abortion was a crime: Women, medicine, and law in the United States, 1867-1973.*University of California Press.
2. Solinger, R. (2005). Pregnancy and power: A short history of reproductive politics in America. NYU Press.
3. World Health Organization. (2022). Abortion care guideline.https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039483
4. Guttmacher Institute. (2021). Abortion worldwide 2021: Uneven progress and unequal access.https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-worldwide-2021