The Impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on Young Women's Experiences of Objectification and Sexual Well-Being

Abstract

The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned two previous rulings that had affirmed the constitutional right to abortion prior to fetal viability. While important work has been published about the legal, moral, professional, and economic ramifications of the Dobbs decision, missing on this topic are the voices of those most affected by these policies. We conducted an online survey to understand how the Dobbs ruling impacted the way women experience their bodies and sexual well-being. Participants were 339 cisgender women residing in the United States aged 19–29 years (M = 24.4, SD = 2.84). Participants identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (23.0%), Black (22.4%), Latina (26.0%), Mixed (3.2%), and White (25.4%). We used codebook thematic analysis to analyze free-text survey responses. We constructed four themes and additional sub-themes related to embodiment in a post-Roe context, which consisted of experiencing objectification (denial of bodily autonomy, experiencing the body as a regulated/surveilled site, feeling dehumanized, and concern for future restrictions to abortion access and civil rights), impact on mental and sexual well-being (vigilance with sex, reduced sexual desire, sexual anxiety, personal safety anxiety), minimized impact (relationship or reproductive status, resource privilege, identifying as pro-life, concern for future), and resistance.