Hey friends,
Exactly one year ago today, the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that our constitutional right to abortion doesn’t exist. By ignoring half a century of precedent to overturn Roe v. Wade, they deemed us not worthy of a fundamental right like bodily autonomy.
It’s been one year since that disgraceful ruling, but the punch to my gut is still raw and I’m still reeling.
Conservatives won’t stop until they’ve stripped us of our collective agency – until they’re the ones making decisions about our bodies.
And that’s the point – it was never about abortion. It’s always been about power – inflicting pain and grasping for control are the tools they’re using to gain more ground.
Right now they’re taking power where they can. Just in the last six months, 37 abortion restrictions have been enacted around the country.
Ten bills criminalizing abortion for pregnant people or providers have been introduced in state legislatures this year.
When we start seeing this fight as actually about power, we can see all the throughlines as a roadmap for what’s next.
We start to see how the 100 state bills targeting young trans people and banning gender-affirming care are intrinsically tied to the fight for reproductive freedom. Because in those 17 states where gender-affirming care bans have passed, 14 of those same states have put abortion bans in place since Roe v. Wade was struck down.
As long as these inhumane attacks continue, so will my rage. This is why I have two asks for you today – the first is that you don’t look away. We have to be clear-eyed about what’s at stake here, and that means bearing witness to the colossal damage and immense suffering that Conservatives have inflicted on so many people.
And the second is to plumb the depths of your anger and examine where you can harness that power for good. If you’re in this fight for reproductive freedom and the power to make your own choices about your body, add your name to my petition right now.
The extremists may be making strides in this fight, but with all of us together, we don’t have to cede any more ground. Thanks for being here with me, especially today.
-Sara
