One Year After the Fall of Roe: Attacks on Reproductive Health Care Are Not Slowing Down, But Neither Are We
Reproductive Equity Now launches ‘Organizing for Equity: The Roe’d Show’ to organize communities across Massachusetts
BOSTON (June 23, 2023) – Tomorrow marks one year since the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a ruling that ended the constitutional right to abortion and devastated access to reproductive health care nationwide. Now, as anti-abortion extremists continue their attacks on reproductive freedom, Reproductive Equity Now is continuing its work to ensure every person across Massachusetts — and every person who travels to Massachusetts — knows how to access the reproductive health care they want or need.
Today, Reproductive Equity Now is launching “Organizing for Equity: The Roe’d Show,” a series of organizing events throughout the state aiming to educate Massachusetts communities on how to access abortion care, how to identify (and avoid) dangerous anti-abortion centers, and ways people can help reenvision Roe and ensure reproductive equity for all. The events will also serve as opportunities for Reproductive Equity Now to hear from community members about the barriers to reproductive health care they have faced in the state. “Organizing for Equity: The Roe’d Show” will focus its organizing efforts on access deserts, gateway cities, and historically underserved communities.
“Massachusetts has made incredible progress in the last year to expand access to abortion care, protect providers and patients, and fund resources to educate the public on their rights to access care. But here’s the truth: we’re not done. Every day, far-right extremists are continuing to attack our health care, personhood, and freedom. From attempts to reverse FDA approval of mifepristone to the criminalization of people traveling for abortion care to attacks on trans kids, extremists are trying to control our bodies and turn back the clock to an era when we had no rights whatsoever,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, President of Reproductive Equity Now. “So, how do we respond to these relentless attacks? We build an unstoppable movement to reenvision Roe and ensure reproductive equity for all. That means getting on the ground in communities, building organizing power around our legislative priorities and pro-repro candidates, and ensuring that every person in our Commonwealth knows how to access the reproductive health care they want and need. So, we’re taking this show on the road and today launching Reproductive Equity Now’s ‘Organizing for Equity: The Roe’d Show’ in communities across Massachusetts.”
‘‘Organizing for Equity: The Roe’d Show” will begin in the following locations:
Great Barrington | Organizing for Equity
Tuesday, July 25 | 6 - 7:30PM
Worcester | Organizing for Equity
Tuesday, August 15 | 6 - 7:30PM
Falmouth | Organizing for Equity
Tuesday, September 12 | 6 - 7:30PM
More locations to come!
Since the fall of Roe v. Wade last June, 19 states have severely restricted or banned abortion care. According to the Society of Family Planning, since the Dobbs decision, 24,290 fewer legal abortions have occurred nationwide. People are traveling farther from home for care, if they can afford to travel.
Massachusetts has boldly responded to attacks on reproductive health care. In July 2022, the Massachusetts Legislature passed An Act Expanding Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care, which included best-in-the-nation shield protections for Massachusetts providers, an insurance mandate for abortion and abortion-related care, a provision to require Massachusetts public colleges and universities to provide medication abortion, or referrals for medication abortion, on campus, among other important provisions to expand access to reproductive health care in the Commonwealth. Since the Dobbs decision, the state has also invested nearly $20 million in abortion clinics and access.
Reproductive Equity Now—alongside Attorney General Andrea Campbell, the Women’s Bar Foundation, the ACLU of Massachusetts, and five law firms—also launched the Abortion Legal Hotline this January, a free and confidential resource to connect patients and providers with pro bono legal advice on their rights to access and provide abortion care. More information can be found at reproequitynow.org/hotline.
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