MISSOURI— Just ahead of midnight on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a 5-4 decision effectively gutting the legal right to abortion in Texas. The decision allows SB8, the Texas abortion ban that bans abortion after six week and deputizes private citizens to sue anyone who helps a person access abortion after six weeks, to go into effect. As a result, virtually all abortions are illegal now in Texas.
Pro-Choice Missouri’s Executive Director Mallory Schwarz released the following statement in response:
“Acting under the cover of darkness, the Supreme Court abandoned Roe v Wade, stripping Texans of their fundamental right to access abortion. Their decision was not only an act of cowardice, but a calculated assault on every woman and person with capacity for pregnancy. The courts are no longer our last refuge from the mounting attacks on reproductive freedom.
“While this news reverberates across the county, we are preparing for the inevitable future in front of Missouri. As we watch ideological extremists abuse their power to enable misogyny, racism, and hatred—and encourage it in their own constituents—we know the only way we can fight back is with compassion, gratitude, and strength. Compassion for abortion providers who care for their patients no matter what. Gratitude for the family, friends, and funders supporting those seeking abortions. Strength for those who face a mountain of barriers to simply accessing healthcare.
“For 52 years, Pro-Choice Missouri has been the on-the-ground force protecting and expanding access to abortion for everybody. We know the majority of Missourians support access to abortion without government interference; we need them to join the fight now to ensure reproductive freedom is for everybody– before it’s too late.”
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Pro-Choice Missouri is the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Missouri, with more than 70,000 supporters fighting for reproductive freedom. For more information, visit: https://prochoicemissouri.org.
