ALEX EDELMAN
On Jan. 24, we recognize the 49th Anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which provides the federally protected right to an abortion for pregnant capable people without excessive government restriction. As a native Texan and a millennial DC transplant working in the reproductive health space since 2016, I have unfortunatelybecome accustomed to the constant threats to reproductive freedom at both the state and federal level. Beginning my work in the progressive policy space with a hostile Administration at the helm meant that much of my work experience has been defensive and reactionary to the stripping away of protective measures. Now under more favorable political circumstances, I am holding out hope that the progressive network will come together to proactively strategize how to build power to realize a world where every reproductive decision, including abortion, takes place in thriving and empowered communities.
According to researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, in 2021 alone, there were 79 bills introduced in 21 states that would ban all or most abortions, of those introduced 8 have been successfully enacted into law. Most notably, Texas’ SB 8 which is the most restrictive abortion law in the country. As controversial as SB 8 has been, what’s even more concerning is that it has withstood every court challenge faced thus far, making it the new anti-choice model bill for other states to copy and try their luck with their home states legislature and court systems. With the continued inaction by the Supreme Court, the justices have allowed SB 8 to send a very dangerous message of hope directly to the anti-choice movement. To those like myself, who have been following these cases closely, that message seems to be foreshadowing that the protections of reproductive autonomy provided by Roe are in serious peril.
For decades now, the anti-choice movement has been executing a carefully coordinated and largely successful attack on reproductive freedom. Of course the fight to secure reproductive rights has been ongoing ever since the passage of Roe in 1973, but from my perspective, just as I entered the movement as a professional advocate in 2016, the heat has been turned all the way up and we have now arrived at the boiling point! From inside the bubble of the repro rights/health/justice movement, the attacks feel relentless and almost insurmountable. Of all the pro-abortion events and rallies I have attended over the years, the recent Liberate Abortion rally held in early December of 2021, was distinguishably more intense, more fear-inducing and more well-attended by anti-choice protestors than ever before. As scary as it is to be teetering on the precipice of a backslide into apre-Roe world, I find confidence and comfort in the saying, “there is opportunity in every crisis.”
Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
So what can we do as a community to fight back against the relentless attacks on reproductive freedom?
Fund and uplift the leadership and activism of Black reproductive justice organizations, like the National Birth Equity Collaborative, and abortion funds in the deep South working to safeguard affordable and accessible abortions. At NBEC we have made the case to the Supreme Court and the public, through an amicus brief filed in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that equitable access to safe and legal abortion is a reproductive justice issue. RJ principles affirm that all people regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances have the right to decide when and how theywant to have a child and we trust their ability to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. We know that people will continue to seek and have abortions no matter its legal status. It is our job as a community to protect the reproductive autonomy of the most marginalized among us, namely pregnant capable people of color and low-income people, who already face many obstacles to receiving the care they need.
Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
Vote for representatives at the local, state, and federal levels of government that align with the values of reproductive justice AND be sure to hold them accountable for their actions and campaign promises. With the threat of a Roe reversal looming, pro-abortion advocates are turning their attention to innovative state-level strategies with the hope of liberating abortion by enshrining reproductive freedom in state law. The good news is that a handful of states and DC have already proactively codified the right to abortion throughout pregnancy without state interference. This should give great hope to those living in repro-friendly states, however a pivot to focus only on state-level protections will inevitably leave out about half the country, particularly those living in the Deep South. Once again highlighting that access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion will literally depend on your zip code.Advocates working at the federal level, like myself, must continue to keep the pressure on the U.S. Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect the right to access abortion free from medically unnecessary restrictions and bans on abortion.
Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
Now’s the time to organize. The progressive movement has yet to successfully come together on the topic of abortion rights in the way that conservatives have. This year will be a pivotal moment in history and the movement must meet that moment head-on. Personal health decisions are just that, personal, andpublic opinion points to a clear majority in support of liberatingabortion. In the midst of a global pandemic and with maternal mortality rates at the highest they have been in decades, it is high time to coalesce around protecting reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy. The next generation is counting on us to secure a future of dignity, empowerment, and liberation.
