Statement from Gender Justice on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Decision
Today, millions of Americans lost access to abortion care. With its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the conservative justices on the Court have unilaterally taken away our federal constitutional right to abortion. Roe v. Wade, which established this right for almost 50 years, is gone.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2022
CONTACT
Gabbi Pierce, Communications Manager
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651.789.2090
Today, millions of Americans lost access to abortion care. With its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the conservative justices on the Court have unilaterally taken away our federal constitutional right to abortion. Roe v. Wade, which established this right for almost 50 years, is gone.
It is hard to overstate how devastating this is to our bodily autonomy and the right to healthcare. Twenty six states are likely to ban abortion soon – some with “trigger bans” poised for this moment. Now, millions of Americans who do not have the resources to travel will be forced to remain pregnant against their will. Even those who can travel may struggle to find appointments in states like Minnesota where abortion care infrastructure is already overburdened. Countless lives will be profoundly shattered: dreams deferred, families upended, health outcomes jeopardized.
Abortion is still legal in Minnesota. This right is guaranteed in the Minnesota Constitution, and overturning Roe v. Wade does not change that here. Abortion care is essential health care and must be available to anyone who needs it, wherever they live, whoever they are, however much they make. That is why Gender Justice and the UnRestrict Minnesota coalition have fiercely advocated for the repeal of Minnesota’s onerous restrictions on abortion care, and why we’ve taken our fight to our fight to the state courthouse in our Doe v. Minnesota lawsuit.
“Now that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for more abortion bans, we must improve our laws in Minnesota to support everyone’s right to make decisions about their own bodies,” says Megan Peterson, Executive Director of Gender Justice. Over the coming months and years, Minnesota clinics will see an unprecedented increase in demand for abortion care. They urgently need our support. Donations, volunteers, and increased public funding will be critical to both abortion clinics and abortion funds who help patients overcome financial obstacles to care. Mainstream healthcare providers must reconsider their role in providing their patients with the full spectrum of pregnancy care – including abortion.
“Abortion is not the only right under attack by the Court and state legislatures across the country,” says Jess Braverman, Legal Director at Gender Justice. “The Supreme Court’s utter disregard for the liberty and bodily autonomy of BIPOC people, LGBTQ+ people, women, immigrants, incarcerated people and countless others did not start and will not end with its evisceration of Roe. We are still in the process of examining the opinion, but one thing is clear: other rights that a handful of unelected judges do not like, such as same sex marriage or the right to access contraception, could be next.”
Gender Justice and our partners in the UnRestrict Minnesota coalition are mobilizing, educating, and demanding our leaders to do more to improve abortion access in this critical moment. Later today, we will be introducing our “Minnesota Beyond Roe: The Leadership Agenda for Abortion Access.”
We mourn today for countless family, friends, and fellow citizens who have lost their right to abortion care. But we are more committed than ever to working for abortion rights and reproductive justice in Minnesota and across the country.