Short story short: NO, in fact abortion would be illegal in Michigan the moment nationwide protections for abortion are overturned, if that were to happen.
Why are we bringing this to your attention? Because, if you haven’t been aware of the current crisis facing the Supreme Court, it is entirely possible that an anti-choice Supreme Court Justice will be appointed, putting protections for Roe in extreme jeopardy.
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, access to abortion in 22 states could be banned outright. Of course, this would harm young and low-income women, women of color, and anyone unable to travel out of state to seek access to abortion care that was once available closer to home the most.
And there is even more to think about: Roe is the foundation for a broad swath of constitutional law that protects our right to make decisions about marriage, procreation, contraception, family relationships, child-rearing and education, and more. Didn’t know that did you? Now you do, and because knowledge is power, I know you are asking yourself, “Ok, what can I do to protect Roe?”
Actually, there is a lot you can do! That’s the good news. Our friends at the Center for Reproductive Rights have put together an incredible list of action items you can easily do. Focus on your senators, because they are the ones who will vote!
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Call your Senators and urge them to vocally take a stand early to save Roe. Send them an email to follow up!
- Share your story about access to abortion (or talk about why access to safe, legal abortion is important to you) by publishing op-eds, blog posts, letters to the editor, and social media posts. Use hashtags #SaveSCOTUS, #WhatsAtStake, and #ProtectRoe.
- Write a letter for the Senate Judiciary Committee and send it to Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office in advance of Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing to be entered into the public record. The text of letters submitted to the Committee will be public and searchable.
- Attend your Senators’ town halls or other in-district events to tell them about your concerns about Kavanaugh’s nomination.
- Join local mobilization efforts by groups like Indivisible or the People’s Defense – or organize your own events – to tell your Senators to support Roe (e.g. rallies, protests, demonstrations).
WHAT DO I SAY?
- President Trump has vowed that he would only nominate justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.
- I am extremely concerned that Judge Kavanaugh is a threat to Roe. The Senate must only confirm a nominee if he explicitly states that he agrees with the rationale and premise of Roe v. Wade, that the right to abortion is among the Constitution’s guaranteed personal liberty rights.
- The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed a person’s right to access safe, legal abortion over and over, most recently in 2016’s historic Whole Woman’s Health decision. But anti-abortion politicians in the states have nonetheless continued to introduce and pass unconstitutional legislation limiting access, and the pace is accelerating. Since 2011, more than 370 new abortion restrictions have passed at the state level - all designed to shame women, tie the hands of doctors, and ban abortion step by step.
- For too many women today, the legal right to abortion does not translate into access, especially for young people, women of color, those who live in rural areas, and people with low incomes.
- More than 37 million women in 33 states are already at-risk of living in a state where abortion could become illegal if the Roe v. Wade landmark decision was reversed.
- The overwhelming majority of Americans do not want to see Roe overturned, and one in four women in the United States will decide to end a pregnancy.
What are you waiting for? Make those calls and send those emails!