Abortion debate divides UF campus. Author Michael O’Malley captures the perspectives from Gator College Democrats and UF Students for Life on Amendment 4.
Courtesy of the Florida Finibus Team
Abortion is on the ballot this November and it has left two antithetical sides in great contention. Students have expressed impassioned ideals on their perspectives of Amendment 4. As such, they have come out in numbers in support or opposition to the bill. Student leaders have sought to make their case known to fellow students.
Amendment 4 is a ballot initiative to expand abortion access in Florida from 6 weeks to the point of viability, or when it is necessary to protect a patient's health, as determined by a healthcare provider.
Ana Perez, a UF student and Yes on 4 Fellow, campaigned Tuesday morning with the Gator College Democrats to encourage students to vote in favor of the measure. Perez is voting in favor of Amendment 4 because she believes that Amendment 4 “[gives] women back the choice to their own bodies, [and] to make medical decisions for themselves as it should be between doctors and patients without extreme politicians involved.”
Perez vocalized support for late-term abortion in cases where the mother’s health is at risk.
Alternatively, Ann Hiptas, the University of Florida Students for Life President and a leader of the “No on 4” campaign on campus begs to differ. She argues that direct abortion is never medically necessary to save the life of the mother. Hiptas, instead, referenced maternal fetal separation where doctors may pursue early delivery to try and save the lives of both the mother and the child. According to Hiptas, in the case of saving the life of the mother, this is not considered abortion. Hiptas is voting no on Amendment 4 because she argues that “women deserve better than abortion”. Hiptas emphasized that “we must protect the unalienable right to life” and urged a change in societal attitude regarding abortion by encouraging women to choose life.
How do students define life?
One divisive issue is defining “when life begins”, the two gave very different answers as to when life begins.
Perez commented “that’s a spiritual question that every person should get to answer for themselves in that it’s your choice when you believe that it begins because scientifically, it varies. There’s no one point, there’s no one determination which is why the amendment is worded the way that it is, so it is very murky.”
Meanwhile, Hiptas argues that life begins at conception while most notably referencing a University of Chicago study from 2021 which surveyed biologists from 1,058 academic institutions that found that 96% of biologists affirmed that life began at fertilization.
Common Misconceptions
Both sides have faced misconceptions regarding their stances on abortion and the wording of the bill. Perez noted that “You would not go to a dentist for heart surgery” referring to the text saying that abortions can be performed “as determined by a healthcare provider.”
Ann Hiptas addressed cases in which the mother’s life was in danger for which “...the pro-life movement acknowledges that in cases, for instance, ectopic pregnancy, in that case terminating the pregnancy is the only way to save the mother’s life and the child has no chance of surviving outside of the mothers’ womb.” She further argued that direct abortion is never necessary to save the life of the mother.
Amendment Four will continue to be a decisive issue, but ultimately, the issue will fall to voters.
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