by Kim Christensen
Most Americans want to keep Roe v. Wade and the right to safe and legal abortion. Of course they do. It makes good sense as public health policy. Most Americans understand that when abortion is made illegal it often leads to tragic acts of desperation and serious risks of potential infection, loss of fertility and death from unsafe methods or back-alley abortions. Most Americans do NOT want to go back to the bad old days before Roe.
In spite of this, abortion has been used as a political wedge issue by the GOP since the 1970s. For nearly 50 years, GOP leaders have been promising conservative voters that they would work to overturn Roe v. Wade and outlaw abortion. Now in Texas they’ve essentially done it with Senate Bill 8 - the most bizarre and restrictive anti-abortion law in the country - and the U.S. Supreme Court, freshly packed with 3 Trump justices, let it go into effect with a 1-paragraph opinion issued at midnight from its ‘shadow docket.’
Roe v. Wade is still on the books, but it’s hanging from a thread. It looks like the U.S. Supreme Court, now dominated by conservative GOP justices, is poised to overturn Roe when future abortion rights cases come before the court, like a Mississippi case on December 1. If Roe is overturned, the issue of abortion goes to the states to decide. California has passed laws protecting the right to safe and legal abortion, so that’s good. But many states in the south and midwest are looking to pass extreme Texas-style abortion bans.
Texans rally at State Capitol in Austin protesting legislation enacted by Governor Greg Abbott that severely restrictions access to legal abortions. May 29, 2021. Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Alamy Live News
Texas’ new SB8 law went into effect September 1 and bans abortion in the state after about 6 weeks, which is before most people even know they are pregnant. There are no exemptions for rape or incest. It also creates a type of vigilante system of bounty hunters, encouraging private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who performs or assists someone in seeking an abortion, with awards of at least $10,000. This is shocking. This is diabolical. This is Texas values?
Maybe it is – of the Republicans who currently run the state of Texas. What about Texas businesses? Where do they stand? How will this barbaric anti-abortion law impact their workers, their families, and their customers? Salesforce has offered to help its employees move out of Texas! A few others like Bumble and Match CEOs have spoken out against SB8 and set up funds to support reproductive rights. But many business leaders and corporations have remained eerily silent.
What’s the goal here? To take us back to the 1950s or the 1850s?
The abortion battle is really about control – personal and political. Who gets to control our bodies, our lives, and our government? Who’s free to choose and who has no choice? It’s about the patriarchy trying to maintain its grip on power, even as the country is becoming more diverse, liberal, feminist, and progressive.
The hard truth is that the GOP won this round by staying focused, out-organizing and out-working Democrats on the issue of abortion for decades. Feminist activists have been on the frontlines, laser-focused and working tirelessly on this issue for years, but not enough people have been active and engaged in supporting roles. That needs to change. Help these feminist warriors out! They’ve been carrying a heavy load for everyone’s benefit, but they need fresh energy and new people to get involved in this movement, especially right now!
What can we do NOW to save abortion rights?
Join the “Women’s March for Reproductive Rights” on October 2, 2021” at a location near you!
ELECT WOMEN who support abortion rights in state legislatures across the country. Emily’s List, Emerge America and Sister District are working on this and have ideas on how you can help!
Tell the Senate to pass the WOMEN’S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT, which would protect access to abortion care nationwide if Roe falls. House Democrats just passed it in a historic vote on September 24. But now it goes to the Senate where it could get stalled by GOP filibuster. Call your Senators!
Help ensure that CALIFORNIA remains a “SAFE HAVEN STATE” for abortions, as explained by Meghan Macaluso of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.
#ExpandTheCourt – Call on Congress to increase the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court to rebalance it, as the extreme conservative majority (6-3) currently dominating the court does not reflect the majority and diversity of Americans. This is urgent as the GOP has been packing the courts with far-right judges for years.
Say the word ABORTION out loud and proud. Encourage Democrats to do the same. Politicians are often timid about using the word abortion and soft peddle their position by calling it ‘choice’ almost exclusively. See “Did Biden Say Abortion Yet? Part of the GOP’s strategy has been to stigmatize the very word abortion, so we need to recognize this and not play their game.
Vote with your Dollars! Find out if corporations that you support with your dollars are actively supporting women’s rights and access to safe, legal abortion OR if they are making political donations to GOP governors and legislators like the ones in Texas working overtime to ban abortion. Find out where big businesses stand on the issue and if they are willing to speak up to pressure Texas to repeal SB8. While a few companies have jumped into the fray, too many business leaders have remained silent on the abortion issue.
Republican women rebel! Republican women can withhold their vote from the GOP for the next few elections. This will get major attention and let party leaders know that banning abortion is not a tenable policy position and that Republic women will rebel! (One can hope.)
The extreme Texas anti-abortion law seemed to come out of the blue and shock many people – especially Republican women who quietly support abortion rights, but typically vote against it because of GOP party loyalty. Now they are shocked, worried, fired up and ready to take action.
Encourage Merrick Garland and the U.S. Department of Justice to fight the Texas anti-abortion law and attacks on Roe v. Wade with everything they’ve got!
Be inclusive! Get comfortable saying “people who get pregnant” and “people who get abortions” to remind folks that trans, non-binary, and other gender-expansive people can get pregnant and should be part of the conversation.
Follow artists, activists and journalists changing the culture and conversation around abortion: Abortion Access Force, Reproaction, SisterSong, We Testify, Whole Woman’s Health, Renee Bracey Sherman, RewireNewsGroup, Amy Littlefield, Dahlia Lithwick, Rachel Maddow and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee!
Watch films and shows about abortion and the struggle to get access in many states, even with Roe v. Wade: Ours to Tell, Trapped, Little Woods, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Obvious Child and Dirty Dancing!
Make political activism fun and part of your social life. Sister District has research showing that friendship really boosts political activism.
We’re down but not out. We need to organize, stay active and stick together. Stay within your comfort zone, you don’t need to be a big hero. The important thing is to do small actions, on an ongoing basis, to help create a powerful movement. Many hands make light work. Let’s turn the tide!