The Supreme Court is Set To Overturn Roe v. Wade: What It Means and What To Do

Find out how overturning Roe v. Wade will impact you, and how to help fight for abortion rights.

Last Monday, POLITCO stunned the world when they revealed a leaked draft opinion from the U.S Supreme Court, indicating that the court has a majority vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision which protects a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion.  

The 98-page leaked opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, states that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” and that Alito and the rest of his Republican-appointed counterparts on the court – Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – hold that Roe should be overturned.  

This is the first time in modern history that a proposed Supreme Court decision has ever been leaked to the public, prompting Chief Justice John Roberts to launch an investigation into the leak.  

Because the leaked opinion is just a draft, it does not mean that the Supreme Court has already overturned Roe. However, it does mean that due to the Republican majority on the court, things aren’t looking good.  

The case to keep an eye on is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a case that is challenging the constitutionality of the abortion law in Mississippi, which currently bans all abortions after 15 weeks. The decision on that case is expected to come sometime in early June.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, has announced that he will push for a bill that would codify the right to abortion into law, to be voted on in the Senate on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is talking about a federal ban on abortions. 

Should the opinion prove to be true, over half of U.S states are expected to ban abortion in the days and weeks following the official Supreme Court ruling, stripping the rights away from millions of American women. Some states, like Louisiana, are taking things a step further, proposing classifying abortion as homicide.  

If this news is terrifying to you, you are not alone. Please, make sure you stay vigilant, educated, and protected. Here are several steps you can take to protect yourself and your rights. 

Start by knowing the abortion situation in your state:  

-States that will place near total bans on abortion, regardless of circumstances (ie. rape, incest, or dangerous pregnancies): Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Utah.

-States that will ban abortion at 6 weeks (before most women even know they are pregnant): Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Missouri (8-week ban).

-States with pre-Roe bans and trigger bans (to ban Roe as soon as it’s overturned): Arizona, Michigan, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

-States that will most likely ban abortion: Florida, Indiana, Montana, and Nebraska.

-States that have laws to protect abortion rights: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Know your birth control options: 

-Over-the-counter: condoms, emergency contraceptives (Plan B, take within 72 hours), spermicide gel.

-With prescriptions: birth control pills, patches, or vaginal rings (NuvaRing or Annovera), emergency contraceptives (Ella, take within 5 days).

-Medical: IUDs (copper or hormonal), shots, arm implants, tubal litigation, vasectomies.  

Attend a protest: 

-“Bans Off Our Bodies” protests will be happening nationwide on Saturday, May 14. Find details on your local protest here.

-In New York City, meet at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn at noon, and come prepared to walk!

Consider donating to abortion funds:  

-Nationally: The National Network of Abortion Funds, National Abortion Federation, The Brigid Alliance

-States in dire need: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming

-New York: New York Abortion Access Fund

Vote in November’s midterms:

-Vote for candidates who will protect a woman’s right to chose. Find out how to register to vote in your state: https://vote.gov/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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