Letter from an Editor | September 4, 2021


Dear John,

“The act is a breathtaking act of defiance—of the Constitution, of this court’s precedents, and of the rights of women seeking abortions throughout Texas.”

In her striking dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor points out what we already knew: Texas’ SB 8, the most restrictive abortion ban to be allowed to go into effect in the U.S. since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, is a Republican death sentence for Texas clinics and a blow to those seeking abortion. The Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the law, which bans abortions after six weeks — a time at which many do not even know they are pregnant — clears the way for virtually anyone to be a “bounty hunter” (those are Justice Sotomayor’s own words) who can hunt down and sue anyone caught aiding abortions, from clinicians to taxi drivers.

President Biden condemned the Court’s decision, calling it “unconstitutional chaos” and ordered a “whole of government” response to see what can be done at the national level “to insulate women and providers” from the law’s impact. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and pro-choice lawmakers spoke out in response this week, pledging to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, which aims to codify Roe v. Wade . But even if the Act passes the U.S. House, it will almost certainly run up against the filibuster’s brick wall in the Senate — a wall that continues to stymie essential legislation that could restore voting rights and LGBTQ+ rights, not to mention the Equal Rights Amendment, which would enshrine a prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sex in the Constitution once and for all.

We know the situation is dire, but we’re holding out hope. Even if abortion rights are rolled back, we will not go back to 1973: Advocates will continue the fight in legislatures and courts, and telemedicine abortion services are more accessible than ever. Ms. is working to amplify information on medication abortion, as we join advocates in calling for the FDA to permanently drop any unnecessary restrictions on its availability.
On the other side of the globe, the situation in Afghanistan for women and girls remains dire. As the U.S.’s final flights rolled down the Kabul runway this week, the Taliban began its crackdown on women’s rights. An Afghan source told Ms. that Kandahar has issued a decree banning local radio and television broadcasts involving women, and earlier this week, sources reported a Taliban ban on coeducation.

But in the face of these attacks, women are fighting back — taking to the streets of Herat to protest the Taliban and fight for their rights. These women remind us that the fight for women’s rights is not a western invention — and human rights are not a western idea.

Women globally will continue to fight for education, for the ability to receive safe and comprehensive abortion and healthcare, and for their fundamental rights. From Kandahar to Austin, you can count on Ms. to keep you informed as feminists continue to mobilize in the coming days and weeks to fight back.

We will not be silent, and we will not go back.

For equality,
Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor

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