What Pennsylvanians Can Do To Protect Abortion Access
According to an initial draft Supreme Court majority opinion obtained by POLITICO, the Supreme Court has voted to strike down Roe v. Wade. The court’s decision will not be final until it is published, likely in the next two months.
The immediate consequence of this decision would be to end federal constitutional protection of abortion rights. Each state would then be allowed to decide whether to allow abortion and under what circumstances.
For women and others who experience pregnancy, our basic freedoms hinge on our ability to control our reproductive health. Our physical and psychological well being, financial resources, and capacity to gain and maintain employment are all dependent on our reproductive choices.
Most importantly, limits on reproductive health services disproportionately impact Black, brown, and low-income communities, therefore upholding and perpetuating income inequality and white supremacy.
A majority of Pennsylvania voters do not support anti-abortion laws. A poll by Franklin & Marshall in October 2020 showed that 83% of state residents believe abortion should be legal in all or certain cases.
The Guttmacher Institute has published an interactive map that demonstrates what would happen in each state if Roe were overturned. The Pennsylvania legislature has repeatedly demonstrated that it wants to limit abortion access. Currently, abortion is protected by Governor Wolf’s veto power. However, a new Governor will be elected in November 2022, and the right to a legal abortion hangs in the balance.
Abortion justice advocates have warned us for months of the possibility of Roe being overturned. Now is the time to take action to safeguard abortion access in Pennsylvania.
Actions you can take now:
1) VOTE in the 2022 elections: Who we elect next, and their stance on abortion, will have implications for abortion access in Pennsylvania for years to come. Vote411.org has all the information you need to vote, including information on your candidates. The primary elections are on May 17, and the general election is on November 8. If you missed the primary voter registration deadline, it’s not too late to register for the general election.
2) Talk to your friends and family about abortion rights, and why it’s important to vote 2022: See abortion messaging guidance here. Organize a voter registration drive in your neighborhood to help get out the vote on this issue.
3) Tell your U.S. Senators to support abortion access: Contact Senator Bob Casey and Senator Pat Toomey to ask them to protect abortion rights.
4) Tell your state lawmakers to support abortion access: Several bills threatening reproductive justice have been introduced at the Pennsylvania legislature. The most egregious are Senate Bill 956 and House Bill 2252, constitutional amendments that would overturn the right to abortion care in Pennsylvania if federal protections are weakened or overturned. Take action here.
5) Help spread the word: Abortion is currently legal in Pennsylvania. Healthcare clinics remain open. Contact the Women’s Law Project of Pennsylvania if you need assistance navigating the process.
6) Donate to Pennsylvania abortion funds: Make a donation to organizations that provide financial assistance to abortion patients:
Abortion Liberation Fund of PA
Southern Tier Women’s Health Services Access Fund
Indigenous Women Rising
Indeedana
National Abortion Federation Hotline
The Brigid Alliance
Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project
MEDIA CONTACT:
Meg Pierce, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of PA
ed@palwv.org