--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The right to privacy... is broad enough…" description: "\"The right to privacy... is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.\" — Harry A. Blackmun" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/harry-a-blackmun-19399_abortion_the-right-to-privacy-is-broad-enough-to_2434892.jpg" --- # The right to privacy... is broad enough to encompass a… ![“The right to privacy... is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” quote by Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/harry-a-blackmun-19399_abortion_the-right-to-privacy-is-broad-enough-to_2434892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/harry-a-blackmun-19399_abortion_the-right-to-privacy-is-broad-enough-to_2434892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/harry-a-blackmun-19399_abortion_the-right-to-privacy-is-broad-enough-to_2434892.jpg) > “The right to privacy... is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Privacy rights include a woman's autonomy to decide on pregnancy, framing abortion as a personal liberty issue. **In simple terms:** Privacy protects a woman's choice about pregnancy. Key Takeaway Support reproductive autonomy. Themes law rights privacy reproductive health Mood legal ethical Type controversial thought‑provoking When to use this quote - legal counseling - healthcare decision‑making - advocacy Key Concepts constitutional law bodily autonomy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How should society balance privacy with moral concerns? - What limits, if any, should exist on reproductive choices? 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You can terminate the pregnancy, you can have the baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olsen/doctors-give-your-family-three-options-when-your-unborn-baby-is/) [Greg Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-olsen/) > [ It's very clear that we are going to have 10 different \[abortion\] laws and that we are going to have these laws made by judges ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-martin/it-s-very-clear-that-we-are-going-to-have-10-different-abortion-laws/) [Paul Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-martin/) > [I generally favor permissive abortion laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-generally-favor-permissive-abortion-laws/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) ## More by Harry A. Blackmun > [If there is any truth to the old proverb that "one who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client," the Court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/if-there-is-any-truth-to-the-old-proverb-that-one-who-is-his-own/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [The states are not free, under the guise of protecting maternal health or potential life, to intimidate women into continuing pregnancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/the-states-are-not-free-under-the-guise-of-protecting-maternal-health/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [The death penalty experiment has failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/the-death-penalty-experiment-has-failed/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [ The mandated description of fetal characteristics at two-week intervals, no matter how objective, is plainly overinclusive. \[It is\] not medical information that is always… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/the-mandated-description-of-fetal-characteristics-at-two-week/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [I hope you will be yourself, human, even a little sentimental, possessed of a sense of humor and a sense of humility. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/i-hope-you-will-be-yourself-human-even-a-little-sentimental-possessed/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [This Court repeatedly has recognized that the whole subject of the domestic relations of husband and wife belongs to the laws of the States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/this-court-repeatedly-has-recognized-that-the-whole-subject-of-the/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [We're all eccentrics. We're nine prima donnas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/we-re-all-eccentrics-we-re-nine-prima-donnas/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [By placing discretion in the hands of an official to grant or deny a license, such a statute creates a threat of censorship that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/by-placing-discretion-in-the-hands-of-an-official-to-grant-or-deny-a/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [From this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/from-this-day-forward-i-no-longer-shall-tinker-with-the-machinery-of/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/i-no-longer-shall-tinker-with-the-machinery-of-death/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/in-order-to-get-beyond-racism-we-must-first-take-account-of-race/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [Of one thing, however, I am certain. Just as an execution without adequate safeguards is unacceptable, so too is an execution when the condemned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/of-one-thing-however-i-am-certain-just-as-an-execution-without/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [Disapproval of homosexuality cannot justify invading the houses, hearts and minds of citizens who choose to live their lives differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/disapproval-of-homosexuality-cannot-justify-invading-the-houses/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [Abortion raises moral and spiritual questions over which honorable persons can disagree sincerely and profoundly. But those disagreements did not then and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/abortion-raises-moral-and-spiritual-questions-over-which-honorable/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [From this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death. ... I fell morally and intellectually obligated simply to concede…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/from-this-day-forward-i-no-longer-shall-tinker-with-the-machinery-of-2/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) [Explore all 32 Harry A. Blackmun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The right to privacy... is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry A. 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