From Abortion Bans to Book Censorships: USA's Road to Repression
U.S.A's Shift Towards Authoritarianism
The United States of America, a global superpower, is proving itself increasingly regressive. In 2022, U. S. overturned Roe v. Wade, banning abortions across all its states, either totally or partially based on factors like gestational weeks. Along with this, over several years, U. S. A banned books from several genres from its public school system.
Abortion Ban
Initially, I thought the ban on abortion was just a result of the misogyny and (self-perceived) moral superiority of white men in society, church & political positions. But going by the amount women have to pay for all the hospital bills alone, from prenatal care to diapers, it is also a capitalist move. This just doesn’t feed the egos of misogynist men but also the wallets of companies providing maternal/baby products and “services.” United States not only make the lives of women hell by not letting them abort but also bankrupts them from the heavy hospital bills. I have seen reels about women either aborting their foetus or spending their pregnancy outside the USA to avoid getting into a debt trap. With Trump getting back into the Presidential position, he may just make the situation worse for women there.
It is not just about abortion, but other rights too. America is slowly heading to traditional household dynamics. Women are choosing to be traditional wives (currently termed trad wives). The issue is these women pull down other women and feminism. The irony is the same movement gave them a right to choose and voice their opinions. It is not just politics, but the social behaviour and internalized misogyny that is making the lives of women worse who don’t want the same things. If the same continues, the situation of American women in a decade will be the same as the current state of Afghani women under the Taliban. Let us not forget Afghanistan was quite ahead in the 1970s, but now a cat has more freedom than the women of Afghanistan.
Book Bans
Just as the government controls women’s bodies, it is also controlling what people can read. In the last few years, the government of the United States has banned several books of varied genres from its public school system. These books aren’t just the ones that attack governments/politics but also harmless romances, feminist and queer books. White men in power have been imposing their ideology through book bans. This reflects what philosopher Louis Althusser described as Ideological State Apparatuses—institutions that subtly control society by shaping beliefs and restricting access to ideas. While this is now mostly limited to public schools, it can anytime get expanded to the whole of U. S. A’s population.
USA probably has been too occupied by book bans that they failed to give their students general knowledge about geography and other things. With the government more focused on bans than education, it’s no surprise that viral clips often showcase shocking ignorance. While these clips don’t represent the entire population, they do shape global perceptions. The content creators, just to get more engagement on their reels, are only further damaging USA’s reputation. Now social media is filled with jokes like:
Probably Harward isn’t too hard to get into.
Who is called an intelligent person in the US? An immigrant or a tourist.
Is education banned in USA?
More Representation in Power
The majority of the seats in political positions are hogged up by old white men. Sane people are of the opinion that people above 60 shouldn’t be in political positions. We do not want them to impose their old ideology with changing times. Going with current bans, these politicians might even introduce more bans, like same-sex marriage, gender-affirming healthcare for trans folk, etc. It might gradually give way to authoritarianism.
This is problematic as some other countries may also introduce similar bans, either under pressure from the USA or just inspired. We Indians have seen some old men yapping too, making our work lives worse. We need more diversity in political positions (applies to any country, especially countries with huge international migration )- women, queer folk, and people of other races. This will lead to more inclusivity in its laws & behaviour towards citizens.
Conclusion
The United States, once hailed as the land of freedom and progress, is moving in a direction that contradicts these ideals. The bans on abortion and books reflect a deeper systemic issue—control. Whether it’s over a woman’s body or the ideas children are exposed to, these restrictions serve to uphold the ideologies of a select few in power. If this continues, what’s next? A ban on critical thinking? The path toward authoritarianism is rarely sudden; it creeps in through policies disguised as morality and protection. If America, and the world, wish to preserve democracy, representation in power must change. More women, queer folk, and diverse voices need to shape laws, not just obey them. If not, the country that once symbolized freedom may soon become its greatest irony.
Awareness of such global incidents particularly USA is highly appreciated.