On June 24th, 2022, the United States Supreme Court officially reversed its original ruling on Roe vs. Wade in a 5-4 decision. In 1973, this case established the constitutional right to abortion with the original ruling permitting abortions in the first two trimesters of pregnancy. Now that the case has been reversed, it means that states will be given the power to set their own abortion laws and restrictions. As of now, it is predicted that 26 states will restrict abortions or ban them while the other states are still discussing regulations. The states that have decided to protect abortion rights are California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Colorado, Washington, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Nevada, Connecticut, Maine, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Vermont. Companies have also reacted to this monumental decision. Some companies, like Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, and Disney have announced that they will be covering abortions as part of their health plan and even cover travel expenses for people, to travel to another state to get an abortion, if needed.
Statistics show that women who are receiving abortions in the United States are more likely to be unmarried, in their 20s, have low incomes, are people of color, and already have a child. It has also been found that women who are receiving abortions are disproportionately marginalized and oppressed. Decades of consistent research have shown that banning and restricting abortions do not reduce unintended pregnancies. Restricting abortion access can cause more stress and negative consequences for people in troubled positions. Pregnancy complications such as miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, septic pregnancies, bleeding, and hemorrhaging can become lethal and are sometimes treated by an abortion. Restricting abortion access is restricting women’s reproductive rights and healthcare.
President Biden released an Executive Order on July 8th, 2022 that will protect access to reproductive health care services. The Executive Order defends reproductive rights by:
- Safeguarding access to reproductive health care services, including abortion and contraception;
- Protecting the privacy of patients and their access to accurate information;
- Promoting the safety and security of patients, providers, and clinics; and
- Coordinating the implementation of Federal efforts to protect reproductive rights and access to health care
This can be a stressful and mentally-draining time for many people. We stand with all women and people experiencing stress from this decision. For more information, feel free to look at these resources:
