Pro-choice activists across America are bracing for the likely scenario that abortion rights that have been in place for 50 years will be ripped up this summer.
A decision, known as Roe vs. Wadelegalized abortion nationwide in the United States in 1973. If overturned by the Supreme Court, 26 states are set to immediately impose severe restrictions on abortion, affecting millions of women .
At the start of the week, a leaked document said a majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices planned to support overturning landmark case law.
Kate Kelly is a human rights lawyer and organizer of Shout Your Abortion, a network of individuals who encourage talking about abortion to eliminate stigma.
They also encourage women to find out about the pills that are available to terminate a pregnancy and can be delivered by post.
“They’re trying to criminalize the supply of medical abortion pills in many states,” she says, “but this court can’t stop us.”
Kate Kelly, a human rights lawyer, fears a nationwide abortion ban
“We will get the drugs to people who need them. And we will share information about abortion pills and where to access them because it is a basic human right.”
Kelly believes that if a Republican candidate becomes president in 2024 and the party regains control of Congress, the party will seek a total ban on abortion nationwide.
“If they flip the House from blue to red and then take the presidency in 2024, I think there’s no question we’ll see an attempt at a federal ban on abortion,” she says. “It is impossible to imagine a landscape where you cannot access a basic element of life-saving health care that everyone should be able to get if they need it or want it and that is what it will become.”
Read more: Explainer: What is Roe v Wade?
Carol Downer is an abortion activist who helped create an underground network of women who performed home abortions in the pre-Roe era. She was upset to read the leaked draft opinion that said the Supreme Court could vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Carol Downer helped women in the days before Roe v Wade
“It goes in line with what a lot of people had predicted,” she says, “however, I hadn’t anticipated the physical and visceral reaction I had.
“It’s a blow. We’re going to be hurt very badly by this.”
Menstrual extraction
Del-em – a form of menstrual extraction that can be used to terminate a pregnancy
Downer, a trained lawyer, has taught other women how to use an instrument known as a del-em, a form of menstrual extraction that can be used to terminate a pregnancy. She thinks more women could come back to using it if abortion is banned in many states.
“I’m glad we got it [the del-em] but I’m mad that we have to have it, I’m very angry. I want to see women who aren’t ashamed to know more about their bodies. I want to see a much broader education and just support it and not have a doctor who is usually male, who can say if he will be ready to do the procedure.”
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Some US states promise to be safe havens for women seeking abortions. California is one such state, with its governor promising that abortion will remain legal there.
“It’s just a remarkable moment in American history,” Gavin Newsom said. “At a time when countries around the world are expanding freedoms, expanding freedoms, expanding rights, here we are in the United States of America poised to roll back rights.
“This Supreme Court is about to roll back constitutionally protected rights and don’t think for a second that’s where they stop,” he said, “they’re coming for you. Wake up you, America”.
If America sleeps, it will surely soon be shaken from its sleep. A decision in a few weeks that has the potential to further fracture this country.
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