STATEMENT FROM ABORTION CARE NETWORK FOLLOWING ORAL ARGUMENTS FOR JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION V. DOBBS

Following the U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments for Jackson Women’s Health Organization v Dobbs, a case that directly challenges Roe v. Wade and could overturn the constitutional right to abortion and decimate abortion access across the nation, Erin Grant, Deputy Director of Abortion Care Network released the following statement:

“Today we applaud Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the plaintiff standing at the center of this pivotal Supreme Court case, Jackson Women’s Health Organization v Dobbs. As an independent clinic and the only remaining abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi, independent abortion clinics like Jackson Women’s Health fight for us all by challenging restrictions in the courts and ensuring abortion is accessible across the nation. For generations, people in this country have not only accessed abortion, but provided abortion care in our communities. Every single day community-owned clinics across the U.S. partner with abortion funds to support their family, friends and neighbors to access abortion, often serving as the only clinic for their community.

“While the Supreme Court works towards a decision in the case, we are reminded that although Roe is crucial for access, it’s not sufficient to ensure that abortion is accessible for all who need care — especially for those with the fewest resources, the most systemic barriers to accessing care, and for people seeking abortion later in pregnancy. No matter what the Court decides, we know that everyone deserves sovereignty over their own bodies and lives, and that each person is the best expert on what they need in order to build their families and futures. We also know that abortion bans like the one in this case are racist, and denying bodily autonomy is oppressive. Today and every day after we cannot be afraid to call out the connection between anti-abortion and white supremacist movements. This is the moment to name the ways in which oppression, control, and violence overlap. And this is not up for debate. Bodily autonomy is non-negotiable.

“I stand in front of the Supreme Court today not for the courts, but to provide reassurance to all that you should never have to feel ashamed to seek the healthcare you need and to celebrate all who make abortion accessible and possible, like people working in phone rooms, full-spectrum doulas, pathology workers, medical assistants taking vitals in the lab, and the folks who drive people to appointments. Together we can raise the bar, and move with the framework of reproductive justice for a future that is safer, more compassionate, and kinder as a community filled with love.”