The US Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade, placing women’s right to safe abortion in the hands of individual states for the first time in 50 years. Abortion became illegal instantly in some states that had ‘trigger laws’ already in place.
The writing was on the wall in 2020 when liberal Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg died and Donald Trump replaced her with staunch conservative Amy Coney Barratt, whose views could readily be gleaned from past actions, and as she is a member of the religious group People of Praise, which “preaches women’s subordination to men and until recently called female advisers to other women ‘handmaids.’” The group is known for its belief that women should submit to their husbands.
Donald Trump ran on the ticket of appointing judges who would overturn Roe v Wade.
Protests are kicking off immediately:
Presumably the staunchest states, depending which way they fall on the issue (I believe it’s usually to political colour) will either use their new powers to implement abortion bans and restrictions, or react to strengthen abortion availability and support inter-state travel.
The midwest is being talked about as a kind of litmus indicator - presumably they are politically like borderline states:
With Roe overturned, Illinois — a Midwest refuge for abortion care — prepares for influx of patients from other states
Accusations of hypocrisy are now flying in both directions. For once, both sides are right about that. ‘It’s woman’s bodies’ is a difficult one for the religious right to rebut in non-ideological terms. OTOH it’s the non-right (aka left in US parlance) who have been disrespectful of bodily autonomy when it comes to the right to inject others with objectively dangerous experimental injections.
But yesterday wasn’t about covid. One thing for sure is that a small committee of two-thirds men that are not representative of the US population have taken a decision that will severely impact the lives of women. The value of the Supreme Court itself is brought into question, and its expansion is one possible (long-term) campaign aim.
But by far the greatest burden will be borne by poor women, especially those in ethnic minorities, who will be far less able to simply hop to another state. For many it will be impossible without seeking the cooperation of their male partners. Yesterday’s judgement can certainly be seen as a disempowering of women, along lines that Judge Amy Coney Barratt has already expressed approval of.