Activists and politicians are commemorating the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that overturned a nationwide right to abortion. This decision has generated both praise and protests from various groups.
Advocates on both sides organized rallies in Washington and across the country to draw attention to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling on June 24, 2022. This ruling upended the long-standing precedent set by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
At a Women’s March rally in Washington, Lynn Rust from Silver Springs, Maryland expressed her frustration, stating, “I’m absolutely livid that people think that they can interfere with medical decisions between a woman and her doctor.”
In Chicago, dueling rallies took place on opposite sides of a street outside a downtown federal building. Despite some shouting, no clashes were reported.
Peter Breen, vice president of the conservative Thomas More Society, accused elected officials in Illinois of trying to make it the “abortion capital of the middle of the country.” Meanwhile, Andy Thayer of the Gay Liberation Network emphasized the need for pro-abortion rights individuals in Illinois to be vigilant due to the appointment of conservative judges to key court positions. He stated, “That’s why we have to be in the streets.”
The Dobbs decision has not only made abortion a prominent campaign issue but has also deepened policy differences between states.
Many Republican-controlled states have implemented bans, with 14 states currently enforcing laws that effectively block most abortions regardless of pregnancy stage, except in certain circumstances. Conversely, most Democrat-led states have taken steps to protect abortion access, particularly by safeguarding doctors and other healthcare professionals from prosecution when they perform abortions prohibited by other states.
However, the abortion issue remains unsettled, as evidenced by the rallies held on Saturday and the ongoing battles in courtrooms, ballots, and state legislatures over the past year. Judges are still reviewing the constitutionality of bans and restrictions in several states. Additionally, more voters may have a direct say on abortion-related policies in the near future, with last year’s ballot measures seeing support for abortion rights in all six states. The issue will also be a hot topic in upcoming elections.
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the impact of the Dobbs ruling during her speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, stating, “We knew this decision would create a healthcare crisis in America.” Harris drew attention to incidents where women were initially denied abortion access even during miscarriages due to concerns about potential legal repercussions for hospitals.
Harris added, “The laws restricting abortion, in design and effect, have created chaos, confusion, and fear.”
While a consensus on abortion remains elusive among voters, public opinion polls consistently show that a majority opposes the most restrictive bans while also opposing unrestricted abortion throughout pregnancy.
President Joe Biden has advocated for a national law that reinstates abortion access. On the other hand, Republicans have called for a nationwide ban, with former Vice President Mike Pence, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, urging fellow party nominees to support a ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy. However, given the current political landscape, with Democrats controlling the presidency and the U.S. Senate, and Republicans holding the House, a federal change regarding abortion is not imminent.
Although Nikki Haley, another GOP presidential candidate and former ambassador to the United Nations, supports a federal ban, she acknowledges that it lacks sufficient support to advance. Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Conference in Washington, Haley suggested that both parties should focus on goals such as limiting abortion later in pregnancy. Only six states allow abortion at any point in pregnancy, and abortions after 21 weeks or so are very rare.
Haley emphasized the need to shift the discourse from demonizing the issue of abortion to humanizing it, stating, “This is personal for everyone.”
These abortion policies have had significant practical implications. In states with the strictest bans, the number of abortions has drastically declined, almost reaching zero. Conversely, states that have maintained access to abortion, especially those near states with bans, have seen an increase in the number of women traveling long distances seeking care they could previously obtain closer to home.
Amy Bryant, a doctor who provides abortions at a clinic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, described the exhaustion of patients who have driven all night from neighboring states such as Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana to obtain abortion services.
Additionally, there has been a rise in the use of networks that distribute abortion pills. However, due to gaps in official reporting and unreported pill use, it is unclear how this has affected the overall number of abortions in the U.S.
Advocates argue that while abortions have continued, there is an equity problem, with black women and lower-income women disproportionately affected by restricted access to abortion.
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Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, North Carolina. Associated Press journalists Stephanie Scarbrough and Will Weissert in Washington and Michael Tarm in Chicago contributed to this article.
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