Overturning Roe v. Wade

Intro: 

It happened…the worry that sat on women, non-binary, and the trans communities’ shoulders has come true. Roe v Wade has been overturned. How did this happen, who is being affected, and what can you do to help now? 

What happened? 

 On the evening of May 2nd, POLITICO, a political journalism company, published the initial draft majority opinion of the Supreme Court on a recent Mississippi case; Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This case regarded the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi law that bans most abortion operations after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The draft majority opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito, and the Court was not initially aware of its release. This is the first time a major abortion rights challenge has faced our now mostly conservative Supreme Court. With three new conservative justices appointed during Donald Trump’s presidency. 

The news of the draft opinion spread like wildfire, leaving many people feeling shocked and brokenhearted. There is no doubt that the draft majority opinion is filled with the full desire and intention to overturn Roe. “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” Justice Alito writes. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” Alito also states that Roe has “sparked a national controversy that has embittered our political culture for half a century.” One of the clearest statements of his opinion being; “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.” The whole 98-page document can be found here; POLITICO.  

Who & What Will Be Affected? 

Many factors and people will be affected by the overturning of Roe v Wade. One of the first things that will be affected is maternal health care. The United States already has the highest maternal mortality rate among all developed countries, along with a major shortage of ob-gyns, midwives, and other maternal care providers. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), “abortion is an essential component of women’s health care.” With all the complications that can occur during a pregnancy, sometimes abortion can often be the only answer, according to the ACOG. In an interview with Good Morning America, Dr. Krishna Upadhya, the vice president of quality care and health equity at Planned Parenthood, states, “I’m also concerned that people who experience a miscarriage or other pregnancy complications could be questioned about their pregnancy outcome with potential legal implications and that’s a whole other unnecessary problem that people could face as a result of overturning Roe." Roe v Wade has now been overturned, our state representatives hold the decision on abortion rights in their hands. This leaves the opportunity for state legislators to put some strict laws in place. For example, according to the Texas Tribune, doctors could face life in prison or fines up to $100,000 for performing any abortion operations. Just like Dr. Upadhya stated, women who have miscarriages might have to face much questioning, trials, or any kind of scrutiny due to the overturn of Roe. 

Not only that, but Planned Parenthood is at great risk of being defunded, although abortions only account for 3% of the care that Planned Parenthood provides. Women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and straight men will all be affected by the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Losing valuable access to services like well-woman exams, prenatal care, contraceptive care, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing, pap smears, screenings for breast and cervical cancers, and more. 

As stated previously, women are not the only ones who will be affected by this overturn. Trans people are also at great risk. According to another blog post by Women4Change “carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term as a transgender and/or non-binary person can be very dysphoric and uncomfortable. If access to safe abortions is taken away, abortions won’t stop; safe ones will. Many people will travel to different states for the treatment they need, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are at risk of being discriminated against or face barriers because of their identity.” 

Along with that many politicians and journalists seem to believe that other rights will be seen as “up for grabs” leaving many communities in fear about other rights as well, like, access to birth control, gay marriage laws, and more. 

How Can I Help? 

Now is the most crucial time to take action. Here are ways you can help: 

  • Share your story (anonymously or not): It’s important to share your story during this time to demonstrate to others how valuable abortion is to women’s healthcare! 

  • Start the conversation: It’s crucial that we start having more conversations about abortions and maternal healthcare! 

    • Download our conversation guide here.

  • Write to your local government: Your voice matters, our state representatives are here to represent us! 

  • Sign petitions: It is important that our government representatives and people of our communities see how much support is behind a cause, and petitions can help to raise awareness and start the process of change!

    • You can find petitions on numerous different sites including Planned Parenthood, Change.org, and more. 

  • Donate: Donating to your local Planned Parenthood or organizations like Women4Change helps in funding great causes! 

    • Similar to petitions, so many places accept donations. Make sure to check out big places in need right now like Planned Parenthood, or donate to a local non-profit like Women4Change.  

  • Vote: Once again; your voice matters! Get out and vote in every way you can! 

    • You can keep up with local elections in many different ways, check out Vote411 for information on upcoming elections in Indiana. 


Women, non-binary, and trans people everywhere are spending their summers fighting for their bodily autonomy, a right that should never be taken from any human being. Roe v Wade is an essential part of women’s healthcare, along with services provided by Planned Parenthood that reach more than just women. Please, do your research, educate others, and get involved in the fight for our bodily rights. 

W4C