The Assault on Reproductive Rights: A Call to Action for Supporters of Self-Determination

For nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade stood as a protector of reproductive rights, holding that women have a constitutional right to an abortion under the 14th Amendment. The right to choose has been a fundamental freedom for those who want to decide their future and make life-saving health decisions. Now, states across the country are putting abortion bans into effect and denying access to care.& As a Black woman attending an all-women’s Historically Black University, Spelman College, I am acutely aware of the disproportionate impact that these bans have on communities of color and other groups who already face systemic barriers to health care. For students like me, it’s critical we speak out against the recent wave of extreme state abortion bans sweeping across the United States, particularly the ban that took effect in the neighboring state of Florida this month. These abortion bans are only possible because of Donald Trump, and defending our reproductive rights starts with reelecting a president and vice president who support a woman’s right to choose. As Florida’s extreme abortion ban takes effect, collectively, we are facing a breaking point. As some leaders boast about overturning Roe and take credit for these extreme state...