It shouldn’t have come to this. Roe v. Wade shouldn’t have ever been the last barricade for women and people with uteruses to be able make the most intimate and private decisions about their bodies, their health, and their futures.
But it was. And now the majority of the Supreme Court have ruled states can take away our fundamental rights to bodily autonomy.
It shouldn’t have come to this. But here we are.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade will usher in more regressive policies, racism, and tyranny. The Supreme Court has now opened the floodgates to a multi-front war and not just on women’s bodies. Below are just two examples:
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- Many states, such as Arkansas and Mississippi, have trigger laws which have taken effect, laws that outlaw abortion with no exceptions. According to Heather Cox Richardson, “Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is backing federal legislation to punish corporations who pay to fly their employees to different states for abortion care and gender-affirming care for their children.” She cited that some Texas pharmacists are refusing to fill prescriptions for medications prescribed for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.
- Clarence Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion that the Supreme Court should reconsider the decisions in Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell—which are the rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and marriage equality. As Professor Anthony Michael Kreis, from Georgia State University College of Law stated, “The danger of overturning Roe is in the fact that you’re tipping a major leg of the right-to-privacy-stool out from underneath it.”
No one is coming to rescue us. Yes, we have been failed and we are the only ones that can fight back and remake this country into one we can believe in. The time to be unreasonable has come. This is the fight of our lifetime and for our future.
Inclusive Life’s Strategies for Ground War Ahead:
Demand
Being polite won’t save us.
Organize
No one is getting free alone. Listen to the voices of folks who have been organizing within communities particularly Black women who have been fighting unsung battles like this for generations.
Be a part of coalitions
Stay in them even if you’re angry, tired, or frustrated.
Provide care
Show up for women and gender expansive folks in need of contraception and abortion services. Show up for folks who need healthcare and ability services.
Keep a steady pace
Stay in it for the long haul.
Vote
This is happening because of and in collusion with voter suppression. Work locally to support free and fair elections to local, state, and federal offices. Support organizations like Black Voters Matter.
Love
Desiree Adaway has this to say:
“Taking away access to abortion will not stop us from loving each other, and caring for each other and fighting for each other. That’s what we have always done and what we will always do.”
Support
Support organizations that are led by and protecting the most vulnerable. Check out Nicole’s statement on the draft decision for suggestions on organizations to support.
