On this day 49 years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States made their ruling on Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that afforded people the right to safe, legal abortions across the United States. While that is a moment to be celebrated, this right has been under attack since the decision was made 49 years ago. Opponents have gained too much ground in the last decade.
We continue the fight at the state level, in locations like Idaho where there is a constant barrage of attacks on access to abortion, attempts to police a person’s body and the medical decisions that should be left to only them, their loved ones, and their medical providers.
At a federal level–we collectively hold our breath with an uncertainty that the Supreme Court will uphold the rights afforded under Roe v. Wade. There’s a palatable fear that we may return to life as it was prior to 1973, when safe abortions were inaccessible and dangerous procedures were taking place.
This is why we need the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) and urge the U.S. Senate to bring this bill to the floor for a vote. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, close to half of the states in the U.S. are poised to ban abortion, jeopardizing access for nearly half of the country. Reproductive Rights are human rights and every person should have the ability to decide if, when, and how they want to start or grow a family without the interference of politicians.
Take action and contact your U.S. Senators and tell them to support the WHPA Today!
Eradicating abortion access will impact us all and will disproportionately impact those who already face increased systemic barriers and discrimination–Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, people with disabilities, young people, and those who live in rural and frontier areas of the country–communities that are already medically underserved and experience multiple inequities in healthcare.
The time is now for the Senate to follow in the footsteps of the U.S. House and pass the WHPA. The time is now for us to loudly demand protection for our reproductive rights!
In solidarity,
Legal Voice
PS: We joined 225 other organizations urging the U.S. Senate to take up the Women’s Health Protection Act. Read the letter here
