As of June 24, the news is now official, with the Supreme Court announcing that it has overturned Roe v. Wade. This paves the way for abortion to be outlawed in numerous states around the United States, potentially even right away in some places. Below, we've outlined the implications of this decision and outlined some ways you can help.
On Monday, May 2, Politico reported that leaked documents showed the United States Supreme Court was on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that established access to abortions as a constitutional right for all US citizens. The leaked document, which is currently a draft, has been confirmed as real but the Supreme Court has indicated the text is not yet final. If the decision is overturned, however, it will mean access to abortions will no longer be Federally protected, leaving it up to individual States to decide the legality of abortion. According to The Center for Reproductive Rights (via ABC News), this means up to 25 states could outlaw abortion. Of the remaining 25, 22 have protections for abortion established in their state constitutions while three make no mention of them at all.
Since 1974, the decision made in Roe v. Wade has paved the way for greater freedom for women and LGBTQ+ communities, granting these citizens a larger degree of privacy and control over their bodies. Without federal protection for abortion access, many experts are expecting significant impacts on vulnerable communities.
Black and Latinx communities, for example, will face disproportionately greater hardships and mortality rates, women will be more likely to be unemployed, face financial hardship, and be victims of domestic violence, hospitals in states continuing to allow abortion will see an influx of patients, and unsafe abortion practices will grow more common.
In addition, Roe v. Wade being struck down could lead to state governments asserting more control over their constituents' bodies, placing the LGBTQ+ community at great risk. Just within the last year, state legislatures in Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri have attempted to pass bills negatively impacting these communities.
As such, we wanted to highlight a number of charities that aim to preserve reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. All of these organizations are currently accepting donations, which will then be used to provide aid to those desperately in need. Furthermore, we also wanted to provide our readers with some resources that help explain Roe v. Wade and why your support matters.
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For a list of fundraisers by state and additional support, Abortion Funds in Every State is a great resource.
PBS: What Is Roe v. Wade?
NYT: Quick Facts You Should Know About Roe v. Wade
Washington Post: Online Privacy Becomes Critical If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned
NYT: Who Gets Abortions In America?