Roe v. Wade is gone, but we’re still getting an abortion

On the day I returned to Melbourne from my vacation in the United States, the Supreme Court decided to slide the nation back 50 years. On 24 June, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

I’ve said this many times before, and I will repeat it: feminism is not about choice; feminism is about liberation. And if there was ever a time for women’s liberation, the time is now.

The Supreme Court may have overturned Roe v. Wade, but we’re still getting an abortion.

Abortion and what the Pro-Life Movement is about

Here’s what we know: anti-abortion legislation is not about protecting life. The so-called Pro-Life Movement is not pro-life. If the Pro-Life Movement were pro-life, it would advocate for:

high-quality, comprehensive K-12 sex education
accessible and readily available contraception
universal health care
maternal health
support for post-partum depression
paid family leave
affordable child care
gun control

If the Pro-Life Movement believes that life begins at fertilisation and abortion is murder, they would also engage with the ethics around embryonic stem cell (ESC) research, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other assistive reproductive technology (ART), and other human embryo and foetal research. But they don’t. Perhaps it’s because they’re ignorant of this medical research or because they value finding cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes. Or maybe it’s because they’re hypocrites, and anti-abortion legislation is not about protecting life.

The Pro-Life Movement is about:

Controlling women’s bodies
Limiting women’s ability to participate in society
Forcing white women to have babies to help prevent “replacement” and grow the Christian army

Time to fight

A small part of me is angry this weekend, but not for the reason you might think. I’m not mad because the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade; I knew that was coming, and I’ve been angry about it for years. I’ve been watching this space all of my adult life. I participated in pro-choice demonstrations twice in Washington, DC, while I was still in my twenties. So, no, that’s not it. I’m sore at all the people showing up at the barbecue now with their bland potato salads saying, “It’s time to fight.”

Where have you been?

Alright, fine. Come in; better late than never.

We're still getting abortions

First things first. Fuck the Pro-Life Movement. Fuck the Supreme Court.

My teacher and friend Yeshe Matthews live-streamed a passionate Daily Devotion on Friday, which she called the Ultimate Female Sovereignty edition. You can watch it on YouTube and Facebook. In summary, Yeshe reminds us that we do not need the government’s permission to do whatever we want with our bodies. Our sovereignty cannot be regulated. Liberate yourself from the idea that you need the government’s permission to have an abortion.

The patriarchy has always tried to control women, and we have always found ways to undermine it, and we will continue to do so.

Here’s a small truth. Even in a Roe v. Wade world, it could be tough to get an abortion. About 90% of abortions happen in freestanding clinics, not hospitals because abortion was always marginalised and separated from the rest of medicine. Since the 1970s, anti-abortion clinic-like spaces have masqueraded as abortion providers, anti-abortion demonstrators have harassed patients entering clinics, and abortion providers have faced vandalism, arson, bombings, kidnapping, stalking, assault, and murder. Conservative lawmakers have been restricting abortion in several states for years.

How to support abortion access

Now that we’ve established that we don’t need the government’s permission to get an abortion, what do we do? Here are some ways to engage with the real-life obstacles and support access to abortion and the people seeking them.

Vow to support pregnant people seeking an abortion.

“Support” can mean many things. It can be performing magick, holding space, or being a shoulder to cry on. Offer practical support if you can—escort people to abortion appointments and coordinate lodging, food, and childcare. Volunteer with a local organisation, support your local abortion fund, and rally behind people arrested for self-managing their abortion.

Educate yourself and share information about self-managed abortion and the morning-after pill.

Self-managed abortion, also called medication abortion, accounted for more than half of all abortions in the US in 2020. Medication abortion is a low-risk, non-surgical way to terminate a pregnancy that is FDA-approved. It involves two pills, mifepristone (RU486) and misoprostol. Healthcare providers can send the pills to patients by mail, and they can also be ordered online. Patients can manage their abortions at home, but note that conservative lawmakers are trying to restrict medication abortion.

Unlike an abortion which terminates a pregnancy, the morning-after pill, also known as Plan B and emergency contraception, prevents pregnancy from happening. You can take the morning-after pill up to three or five days after sex, depending on the type of pill, and purchase it over the counter without a prescription.

Urge your institutions to support people who need abortions.

Colleges and universities have campus health centres that could and should provide abortion. Companies including Disney, Levi Strauss, Starbucks, and Microsoft will cover employee travel expenses for abortions. Perhaps your school or workplace will support students and employees who need abortions.

Make your voice heard.

I know that people feel helpless, and I sympathise with those who think the Democratic Party has not done enough to protect abortion rights. For people who need abortion care now, the results of this year’s midterm elections will come too late. Still, make your voice heard. Show up. It can make a difference.

Pour into the streets and bring the country to a halt. Call your legislators and governor. Speak up for codifying abortion through legislation, for federal protections, and for getting rid of laws that require parental involvement in minors’ abortions. Put pressure on local district attorneys and prosecutors to decline to prosecute anyone charged with ending their pregnancy. And, yes, vote. Vote for leaders who support abortion rights.

If you’ve had an abortion, consider sharing your story. You can help fight the stigma of abortion and help people understand why abortion access is essential healthcare.

A vision for the future

The primary focus of this entry has been abortion to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but the reversal of Roe v. Wade is about much more. Abortion is the treatment for ectopic pregnancy, a life-threatening complication. Women who rely on methotrexate to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriatic arthritis report having problems accessing the medication because methotrexate, which is also prescribed to treat ectopic pregnancy, can be used to induce an abortion. So, the consequences of reversing Roe v. Wade are far-reaching, and we’re just beginning to see them.

And no one should be confident that this majority is done with its work. The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone. To the contrary, the Court has linked it for decades to other settled freedoms involving bodily integrity, familial relationships, and procreation.

Justice Breyer, Justice Sotomayor, and Justice Kagan dissenting.

Americans live under the tyranny of an extreme right-wing minority. As the dissenting Justices noted, overturning Roe v. Wade is not the endgame. Their vision is a white supremacist, heteronormative, Christian evangelical patriarchy. Justice Clarence Thomas has signalled what may come next: contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.

Get ready for it.