NPR's Book of the Day 'Personhood' argues fetal rights are the next frontier of the anti-abortion movement
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May 8, 2025 
Mary Ziegler, a law professor and leading scholar on the abortion debate, dives deep into her new book, exploring the concept of fetal personhood. She discusses its implications for the anti-abortion movement, arguing it could redefine constitutional rights. Ziegler highlights the historical parallels between anti-abortion advocacy and past civil rights movements, raising questions about legal equality. The conversation also delves into how recent court decisions change the landscape, affecting not just abortion but practices like IVF and contraception.
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Origins of Fetal Personhood
- The fetal personhood movement began in the 1960s as a strategic necessity in abortion debates.
- It argues fetuses have constitutional rights starting at fertilization, now central in the anti-abortion movement.
Anti-Abortion Links to Equality Movements
- The anti-abortion movement frames itself as a fight for equality akin to civil rights struggles.
- This reimagining shows conservative approaches to constitutional equality beyond abortion.
Anti-Abortion Civil War Analogy
- Anti-abortion advocates compare current abortion divides to pre-Civil War slavery divides.
- They see the nation as unsustainable with contrasting abortion laws across states.
