Friday, June 24, 2022, is a uniquely sad, frustrating, and disappointing day, but it is not the day we stop fighting. As covered by my colleague Joan McCarter, conservative zealots on the U.S. Supreme Court succeeded in their anti-choice mission to effectively end federal protections for abortion rights. With the 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade, more than 10 states have automatically banned abortions via trigger laws, thanks to anti-choice lawmakers. These states include Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Utah.
And, as covered by my colleague Laura Clawson, we know this is not just about abortion, though abortion access is (of course) an enormous deal in itself. As Justice Clarence Thomas points out in his concurring opinion, for example, the Court not only can but should dismantle our rights to birth control and marriage equality. Justices in the dissenting opinion (the three liberals, including Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan) also see this as the possible next path for the Court, though of course, they’re ringing alarm bells out of fear, not excitement.
And what are people saying on the internet? Let’s dive into what statements officials are sharing, as well as what folks are sharing in terms of solidarity, resources, and intellectual discourse.
RELATED: Living in a state with a 'trigger law' makes me want to fight for reproductive justice even harder