High Court comes in like wrecking ball to dismantle Roe V. Wade, paving way for abortion ban in several states

The Supreme Court’s ruling Friday to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion dismantled women’s fundamental right to abortion and turned its back on nearly 50 years of precedent. It opened the door for states to take away our ability to make our own personal health care decisions, according to Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.

Without this constitutional protection, states across the country can quickly move to ban abortion, according to the organization.

“We’ve already seen lawmakers pass dangerous abortion bans in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, Florida, and Kentucky,” according to a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. “It is now expected that more than half of all states across the country will severely restrict or ban abortion entirely. The impact will be immediate.”

SCOTUS Decision Described as Wrecking Ball

James Williamson

“Even though we knew that this wrecking ball of an opinion was coming, the shock, sadness and anger is no less intense,” James Williamson, chair of the board for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, (PPPSW) told Uken Report.  “Be sure that for anti-abortion activists, overturning Roe is just the beginning.  But be equally sure, we are ready and resilient as California will become the nearest place for 1.4 million women to access an abortion.”

Currently, 13 states have “trigger laws” on the books — abortion bans that could take effect soon after this ruling. Far too many have now been left without access to safe, legal abortion.

Although we knew this decision was likely, to say we are extremely disappointed does not begin to encompass the deep worry and outrage we feel – not only for our patients and communities, but for future generations to come, according to PPPSW. It’s important to note that abortion is still safe, legal, and protected in the state of California and that all patients, regardless of where they may be traveling from, will be able to access abortion care at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.

At Planned Parenthood, they know that banning abortion does not take away people’s need to access abortion care. Patients who need to access abortion should not face the shame and overwhelming hurdles that will come from this decision.

PPPSW vows to do everything it can to help patients get abortion care safely. Abortion bans have always disproportionately harmed Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrants, and people with low incomes, and are a product of the systemic barriers to care that these communities continue to face.

The Planned Parenthood Action commits to do “the important work of fighting for legislation that will protect the right to safe and legal abortion in every single state, and electing champions for reproductive health, rights, and abortion access.

“As always, we will continue to do everything we can to provide care to all,” PPPSW said in a list of talking points. “And you can be certain that we will continue to fight against dangerous legislation designed to prevent people from accessing the critical care they need.”

 

 

 

Image Sources

  • This fight isn’t over: Shutterstock