Happy Birthday, Roe v. Wade
Today, Roe v. Wade is 45 years old. This anniversary should be a chance to celebrate this landmark ruling, which codified the constitutional right to an abortion, in America. Instead, Roe limps along, still alive but under escalating attacks from both state and federal legislators.
In the past year alone, this is what we’ve seen:
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The Trump administration dramatically expanded the harmful Global Gag Rule, which prohibits U.S. global assistance funding for organizations that provide, advocate for, or counsel on abortion services;
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The Department of Health and Human Services has been stacked with anti-choice fanatics who are rolling back not just abortion access but birth control access, too;
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States like Texas enacted bans on second trimester abortion procedures, rendering the procedure inaccessible;
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States like Ohio enacted a ban on abortions in cases of Down’s Syndrome, a cynical ploy to undermine abortion rights;
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The Trump administration moved to block undocumented minors from accessing abortion care;
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The Trump administration rolled back the highly effective and essential birth control coverage mandate from the Affordable Care Act, directly threatening coverage for millions of women;
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The list goes on and on and on (and you can read all about it in our Repro Rights Round-ups).
But what do we do when safe abortion is under attack? We stand up. We fight back.
This past weekend, hundreds of thousands of women took to the streets for the Women’s March 2018, embracing the vitality and creative energy that fueled last year’s historic march, the largest protest in U.S. history. Last year, march organizers defiantly opposed inclusion of anti-abortion groups, and with good reason -- abortion is a fundamental right and central to feminism.
This year, as the right to safe abortion remains under dire threat, A is For is refocusing our energy to not only defend Roe, but champion its promise for everyone. We commit to defending access but also eradicating stigma, and to encouraging support while resisting anti-choice oppression.
So happy birthday, Roe v. Wade. We celebrate you and we fight for you.
A is For