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

This article examines the impact of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, on the embodiment and sexual well-being of young adult cisgender women in the United States. Through an online survey of 339 diverse cisgender women aged 19–29, the study identified four main themes: experiencing objectification (including denial of bodily autonomy and feeling dehumanized), negative effects on mental and sexual well-being (such as sexual anxiety and vigilance around sex), minimized or buffered impact due to factors like resource privilege or relationship status, and acts of resistance to reproductive restrictions. The findings highlight how abortion restrictions function as structural barriers to positive embodiment by limiting agency and increasing anxiety, particularly among marginalized groups facing intersecting oppressions. The study underscores the importance of recognizing reproductive objectification alongside sexual objectification and calls for clinical and advocacy efforts to support bodily autonomy and mental health in this changing legal landscape.