n an Australian state that previously held abortion as an offense punishable with jail time, to vote to legalize abortion before 22 weeks was practically unheard of. Before October 17Queensland had an abortion law in place that was made over a century ago, and now they have decided to decriminalize it. But this is not without a fight.

For decades, Australian activists have been fighting against Parliament to take control of their bodies and have failed to receive and create much exposure to gain the necessary supporters. With little traction in a state that is known for their conservative views, it seemed unlikely that any course of action was to be taken. What changed? The leader of the opposing party allowed its members to vote based on their personal beliefs, rather than follow party platform and guideBecause the leader chose to make the vote as much of a democracy as possible, several members in his party came out as pro-choice.

Not only did the new rules come out, but at the same time Queensland's representation of women in government was at an all time high. The premier (head of Parliament) is a woman and so is half of the Cabinet. Despite this rarity, the leader of the opposing party is a woman as well.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, the premier of Queensland, stated in a Tweet that, "Tonight Queensland joins other jurisdictions, both in Australia and around the world, in recognising termination as a health matter. A matter between a woman and her doctor."

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Although a huge step has been taken, there is a long way to go for pro-choice believers in Queensland. Keeping in mind that Queensland is a primarily conservative state, a monumental decision like this one cannot be made without judgments.