On Friday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade—the 1973 landmark decision that ruled the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protected a woman’s (we know that people other than women including but not limited to non-binary folks, trans men, etc have abortions as well) right to have an abortion. Because of the 2022 Supreme Court’s ruling, abortion is no longer protected federally and States determine whether to criminalize abortion. The map below shows a general view of which States will and will not legally allow abortion moving forward. 13 States have “trigger laws,” which ban abortion automatically or by swift State action. The States in which abortion is now completely outlawed are Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Of course it’s a devastating time for all people who can become pregnant, especially those who are poor, non-white, and/or living in the red States below. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and nihilistic without the bare minimum of federal protections, but instead of giving in to sorrows, I wanted to share a multitude of abortion resources. Reproductive justice organizers, policy advocates, abortion service providers, and community members have built up care giving processes long before Roe was on the axe. There are more than enough abortion resources available for people who need or want them. And to be clear: I love and support free abortions for anyone and everyone who wants one. Placing caveats on the need for reproductive options such as only for sexual assault or domestic violence victims, people who can’t afford a baby, etc. are extremely limiting and prevent people from bodily autonomy just as much as fascist pro-birthers do. I haven’t had an abortion but if I were ever to become pregnant (even though I’m in an incredibly healthy and safe relationship), I would have one immediately thanks to my financial privilege and protected choice based on where place I live. Please see the abortion resources below for information on how to give yourself a self-managed abortion, where to donate your money (to smaller abortion funds, not to the national Planned Parenthood), how to support loved ones who need an abortion, etc. I hope you’ll find hope in the communities already established around reproductive justice and I hope we’ll all consider this moment as a time for real organizing, not simply one-time protests and simple mobilization.
- Roe v. Wade: What You Can Do
- Abortion On Our Own Terms
- Understanding and Advocating for Self-Managed Abortion
- What Latin American Feminists Can Teach American Women About the Abortion Fight
- The Brigid Alliance
- National Network of Abortion Funds
