Impact of Personhood Legislation

The discussion centers on the potential legal implications if personhood legislation is enacted, especially regarding the rights of pregnant individuals. If fetuses are granted personhood, it raises critical questions about whether existing constitutional rights of pregnant people, such as privacy and bodily autonomy, would be undermined. A key example referenced is the historic Dred Scott case, where enslaved individuals were denied personhood, which illustrates how legal definitions of personhood can lead to significant disparities in rights. The expansion of rights to fetuses, while potentially reducing the rights of pregnant individuals, also highlights the complex legal interplay between natural and juridical personhood, suggesting a shift where fetuses might hold more legal protections than the individuals carrying them.