It’s been two years since the overturn of Roe v. Wade; here’s what you need to know.
June 24, 2024 marks two years since the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade and reverse nearly 50 years of precedent and protection.
This devastating ruling eliminated the constitutional right to abortion across the country; leaving individual states the power to regulate aspects of abortion not protected by federal law. Indeed, as of May 2024, 21 states across the nation have either banned or eliminated access to abortion entirely. What has become clear in the two years since this ruling is that these are strategic legislative and legal attacks fueled by an anti-abortion agenda, focused on denying people the right to make the choices that are best for their health and lives.
While we know that the “right” to abortion has never been enough to guarantee access to it, we continue to see the devastating ripple effect of this Supreme Court decision – with new bans taking effect, and a slew of lawsuits and ballot measures pending across the country. Two major decisions in particular are pending before the Supreme Court this year – one is about the abortion pill mifepristone. The Court could restrict access to this medication even in places where abortion is legal, and completely change access to medication abortion through telemedicine. The other case is about abortion in emergency situations and it centers on Idaho's medical exception. It's a fight over whether federal or state law should have priority. Both of these decisions are expected later in June – and could have dangerous consequences for far too many.
We find ourselves in a time when our basic human rights are being challenged like never before – when exercising your right to bodily autonomy depends on your zip code, and when doctors in some parts of the country now fear prosecution simply for providing life-saving care. Nevertheless, our vision at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest remains steadfast: to create a world where every person – regardless of their race, income, insurance, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, or immigration status – can access expert, compassionate, sexual and reproductive health care, information, and education without shame or judgment.
We are proud to live and work in California, where our reproductive rights remain protected. At Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, we have doubled down on our efforts to expand access to abortion care and invest in patient navigation efforts to help people seeking abortion overcome logistical barriers — providing transportation and travel support, financial assistance, and referrals to patients.
Since Roe’s overturn, Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest has stepped up to serve patients from neighboring states with restrictive bans, and we remain proud to connect people to the sexual and reproductive health care and resources they need and deserve. Today, and every day, we work to ensure that every patient who seeks sexual and reproductive health care can access it, and to build a just world that includes nationwide access to abortion for all — no matter what.
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