Feminists React: 50 Years After Roe, the Fight Is Far From Over

Feminists React: 50 Years After Roe, the Fight Is Far From Over
1/21/2023 by Kathy Spillar


People gather to protest the Supreme Courts 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization at Washington Square Park on June 24, 2022, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade. On what would have been a day of celebration of 50 years of legal abortion throughout the U.S., we’re instead mourning the loss of our (apparently not-so) fundamental right to bodily autonomy. But don’t let triumphant Republicans or smug Supreme Court justices fool you—the fight is far from over. Feminist advocates mourned the loss of Roe while simultaneously recommitting to the fight for full abortion access and reproductive rights.

While this Roe Anniversary marks a reminder of what we’ve lost, this is also a reminder that, as reproductive justice partners have long said, Roe was always the floor—not the ceiling—and now we must reimagine what is possible for our communities. A vision for the future that centers those historically left behind will create a more equitable health care landscape for all. —Planned Parenthood Action Fund



This weekend, we should be celebrating 50 years of a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Instead, last year’s decision sent us back to square one. Radical politicians and extremist jurists have made it clear how little they value women’s lives and with Roe gone, there is little to prevent them from implementing reckless policies that will dismantle women’s rights. We must reflect on Roe’s legacy to remind us that our fight continues. Women are not objects to be controlled to advance a political agenda. Although we cannot celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roe, we continue to stand as one — fighting for reproductive equity and equality.
—Christian F. Nunes, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW)
. . . . . .

All this goes to show that Roe may be gone—but the fight for full access to abortion and reproductive healthcare goes on. As our executive director of partnerships and strategy Jennifer Weiss-Wolf wrote this week, “The tenets of reproductive health, rights and justice—and those of a healthy democracy—are not only inextricably interconnected, but essential to our nation’s promise.” Women’s fundamental rights are deeply necessary for the health of our democracy—Roe’s overturn doesn’t change that.

https://msmagazine.com/2023/01/21/feminists-react-50-years-after-roe/