Roe v. Wade Is Toppled. Donate to an Abortion Fund Now

Forced Birth Is Barbaric. Donate to an Abortion Fund Now

2 years ago in CultureWords By Alexandra Pauly

The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that protects the right to an abortion. The decision is expected to leave roughly half the country without safe, legal access to the procedure.

Foreshadowed by a leaked draft opinion published by Politico on May 2, the decision marks the close of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a Supreme Court case on the constitutionality of a Mississippi law — enacted in 2018 by the state's largely Republican legislature — that prohibits abortions after 15 weeks.

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Jackson Women's Health Organization argued that Mississippi's restrictive abortion law was unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a ruling that prevents states from crafting laws that make obtaining an abortion unduly burdensome.

In a final opinion published on Friday, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were unsound to begin with.

"The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision," the conservative justice declared. "Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives."

Joining Alito in the majority were Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett (the latter three were appointed to the court by Donald Trump, who vowed to help overturn Roe v. Wade during his presidency). Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were in dissent.

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The toppling of Roe v. Wade presents a terrifying reality for anyone who can get pregnant. Forced birth in a country that lacks accessible healthcare (particularly for Black patients, who are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women), paid maternity leave, and subsidized childcare is entirely dystopian.

In 13 states, trigger laws automatically banning abortion will go into effect as soon as the attorney general, governor, or legislature allows it. An additional 13 are likely to enact near-total or total abortion bans. 16 states including the District of Columbia have laws that protect the right to abortion.

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If you're outraged at the Supreme Court's attack on bodily autonomy, the best thing you can do is donate to an abortion fund, which is exactly what it sounds like: a local organization that helps cover the financial burden of an abortion (transportation and medical costs, childcare, temporary housing, etc.).

While non-profits such as Planned Parenthood are important, they focus on reproductive rights at a national level — they lobby politicians, support pro-choice candidates, and launch pro-choice campaigns. It's necessary work, but doesn't provide immediate relief to those in need.

Here, we've rounded up a non-exhaustive list of abortion funds to donate to right now (check out the National Network of Abortion Funds for more). You can also donate to ActBlue, which will split your contribution among 33 abortion funds.

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