Even though a leaked draft meant we knew it was coming, the feelings of grief and overwhelm after the Supreme court decision overturning Roe V. Wade hit our country hard. The ruling returned abortion rights to the states, which triggered several places to respond with immediate bans. There is a lot to unpack in the abortion debate. Let’s take a closer look at where we are with reproductive rights today.
The History of Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade was the supreme court decision in 1973 that the constitution affirmed women had the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy. It was determined that the Due Process clause in the fourteenth amendment provided a fundamental right to privacy. The fourteenth amendment prohibits the “deprivation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” by the government. Roe v. Wade and several other rulings were based on that concept.
The Domino Effect
The supreme court ruling last month overturned that decision 6-3, divided along ideological lines. In the wake of the decision, several states initiated trigger laws restricting abortion. Missouri was the first to put these laws into effect.
But abortion rights aren’t the only constitutionally protected freedoms that could be affected by this decision. In Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring opinion, he specifically called out three cases that used the same legal reasoning in their ruling. Griswold vs. Connecticut from 1965 affirmed the right of married couples to use contraception. Lawrence vs. Texas struck down laws that made same-sex sexual activity legal in 2003. And Obergefell vs. Hodges in 2015 ruled in favor of marriage equality. Justice Thomas stated plainly that the door was open to revisit those laws and overturn them, just like Roe v. Wade.
Resources for Reproductive Rights
Reproductive rights are human rights. They are not exclusive to women and affect men and the transgender community. It’s more important than ever that we have resources at our disposal to protect the right to choose.
- Planned Parenthood
- NARAL
- Indigenous Women Rising
- The Brigid Alliance
- National Network of Abortion Funds
- The Afiya Center
- Gender Justice
There are so many great organizations I could spend all day listing them. Look for local, grassroots groups in your area if you want to get involved.
Lending Our Hands and Hearts
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