By Kaylee Chan | Editor-in-Chief

   Reproductive rights in America are in more danger now than ever in recent history. On May 2, a draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion that was leaked to Politico revealed the Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision from 1973 which declared abortion to be a protected right under the Constitution. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, not only will millions face lasting health and financial consequences, but it will also set a dangerous precedent for other rights upheld by Supreme Court decisions to be overturned.

   The possible overturning of Roe v. Wade comes during a time when a majority of voters support the right to an abortion. In a poll done jointly by ABC News and The Washington Post over April 24-28, 58 percent of those polled thought an abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 37 percent thought it should be illegal.

   However, should Roe v. Wade get overturned, it is predicted that 27 states are likely to pass legislation restricting abortion access, according to a report by The Guttmacher Institute provided by TIME Magazine.

   For the first time in close to half a century, people across the nation will lose access to the ability to terminate a pregnancy, which is an essential part of reproductive healthcare.

   According to Scientific American, a study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco, showed that women going through a forced pregnancy “were more likely to experience negative health impacts—including worse mental health—than women who received [an abortion].” The study also noted they were “also more likely to face worse financial outcomes, including poor credit, debt and bankruptcy.”

   These impacts will disproportionately affect people of color, who are statistically more likely to pursue an abortion. A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that people of color make up 44 percent of the population of Mississippi, but 81 percent of registered abortions in the state. Similar statistics hold true in places such as Texas and Louisiana, states which are likely to have abortion restrictions put in place.

    The legal implications of overturning Roe v. Wade extend to other rights as well. Same-sex and interracial marriage were legalized from Supreme Court decisions that, like Roe v. Wade, were based on unenumerated rights within the Fourteenth Amendment, according to Oyez.com. If Roe v. Wade was successfully struck down for lack of constitutional basis, these decisions could also be in danger.

   Despite the consequences this decision will have on the American public, there is little we can do to prevent Roe v. Wade from being overturned. Voters cannot directly influence the actions of the Supreme Court. What they can do, however, is vote to enshrine the right to abortion in the laws of individual states.

   Proposed national laws such as the Women’s Health Protection Act will also codify Roe v. Wade into law. The act has already been rejected in the Senate, but demonstrating open support for it will be important in showing state politicians that voters care about these issues, paving the way for future legislation.

   Cementing reproductive rights into law will making it no longer subject to judicial debate. Similar legislation should be passed to protect marriage equality as well, guaranteeing that those rights will also not be vulnerable to disappearing from a Supreme Court decision.

   For bills protecting abortion to pass, however, both politicians and voters must throw their whole weight behind it. It must be made known that the overturning of Roe v. Wade will not pass over lightly. The basic rights of people in this country depend on it.