|
Here’s a quick rundown of where we are on abortion access:
In 1973, the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade established that people have a constitutional right to abortion care, free of excessive interference from the government. In the nearly 50 years since then, anti-abortion forces have steadily encroached on that right, passing state laws that close clinics, create barriers, and make abortion inaccessible for a large portion of the population. Since 1973, states have enacted 1,327 restrictions on abortion. Ninety-seven of those restrictions were passed between January and August of 2021, making this year the worst on record for abortion rights (1). What we are witnessing is the erosion of reproductive justice in America.
What does this mean for us?
We can no longer rely on the courts to protect the right to abortion care. Early this month, the Supreme Court refused to block a blatantly unconstitutional abortion ban in the state of Texas. The new law prohibits nearly all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, effectively banning 85% of procedures in the state (2). In addition, the law enables private citizens to sue healthcare providers who provide an abortion and individuals who help a person obtain an abortion. It includes an incentive of at least $10,000 to those who successfully win these lawsuits. The result is a bounty system that targets abortion providers while also undermining key support systems for those seeking abortion care.
How do we fix this?
If we want to protect the constitutional right to abortion care, we need proactive action at every level of government. Moreover, policymakers must go beyond baseline legal protections to ensure meaningful access to abortion for all, especially for young people of color, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, people in the South, and LGBTQ people. This means building a cultural and systemic framework that values abortion as essential health care. The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) is one step. It will protect abortion rights by establishing a statutory right for health care professionals to provide abortion care and for patients to receive that care. WHPA also eliminates some key barriers to abortion access, including mandatory waiting periods, biased counseling, two-trip requirements, and mandatory ultrasounds. The Women’s Health Protection Act tackles abortion restrictions head-on.
So what’s up with crucial legislation for abortion?
The good news is that the House just passed WHPA! This is major! But it still has to get through the Senate to become law. Here’s where you come in.
Join us in fighting for constitutional rights; contact your lawmakers and ask them to protect abortion access today. We have to transform how abortion is treated in this country, especially for young people and those whose abortion rights have been most obstructed. This is how we can save Roe v. Wade and even go further.
Best,
Edwith Theogene
Director of Advocacy
Generation Progress
P.S. Want more details about the Texas abortion ban you’ve probably been hearing about in the news and how it impacts young people? Check out this explainer.
Citations:
(1) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2021/09/21/503999/state-abortion-legislation-2021/
(2) https://bit.ly/3zXYO5m
|
