Abortion is Protected in Massachusetts, But Millions of Working People in Other States Have Lost Their Reproductive Freedom

BY JORDAN BOYLE, MASS JWJ SUMMER 2022 INTERN

The death of Roe: On June 24, 2022 the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, stripping millions of people of their right to attain an abortion. In the majority opinion written by Justice Alito, he concludes that Roe was wrongly decided because the constitution mentions nothing about abortion protections. The opinion cites to a handful of state laws from the 1800’s that had made abortion a crime. This line of reasoning is truly preposterous and has effectively reduced women to second-class citizens, which they were when those laws were created. Even more alarming is the concurrence written by Justice Thomas, where he calls for overturning prior decisions that created the right to use contraceptives, the right to intimate same-sex relations, and the right to same-sex marriage. I say none of this to invoke fear, but only to point out the slippery slope that we are heading toward and need to be prepared for.

What overturning Roe means for the country: Now that Roe has been overturned, 13 states have “trigger laws” to ban nearly all abortions that will go into effect within the next thirty days, and at least 7 more states are likely to ban almost all abortions in the coming months. As the dissent in Dobbs points out, reproductive freedom is a gendered, classed, and racialized issue. Wealthy women will always find a way to get an abortion, because they have the means to take off work, travel to another state, and pay out-of-pocket for the procedure if necessary. Poor, low-income, working-class women do not have that luxury, and so they are either forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term, even if it risks their health, or, they turn to an unsafe method of aborting their pregnancy and risk bodily injury or even death. Workers of color and black workers are especially impacted by this decision. Reproductive justice is and always has been the norm for the wealthy class, and a nearly unattainable goal for the working class. Millions of women will now be faced with unthinkable decisions now that their decision for what happens to their body is no longer their own to make.

What overturning Roe means for Massachusetts: Under the current Massachusetts law, the right to have an abortion is protected. A person may obtain an abortion for any reason in Massachusetts up until their 24th week of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, an abortion may only be performed if a physician deems it is necessary to preserve the life of the patient, the patient’s mental or physical health, or if there is a lethal fetal anomaly. A pregnant minor under the age of 16 seeking an abortion must first attain the consent of one parent, or alternatively, may petition the court to waive parental consent requirements.

At AbortionFinder.org, you can enter your location to find an abortion provider near you.

At Massachusetts Planned Parenthood, there are resources for accessing abortion pills through telehealth.

How you can fight against the Supreme Court’s decision

At Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, we stand with reproductive rights and fight for reproductive justice. The majority of the staff at Massachusetts Jobs with Justice are women, so this decision hits especially close to home, and we will continue to fight tirelessly for reproductive and economic justice for the working class.

Here are several ways you can help:

  • Donate: if you have the means to do so, you can donate to local abortion funds through the National Network of Abortion funds at abortionfunds.org.

  • Follow the lead and support BIPOC, Transgender, and Non-Binary organizations, leadership, and Movement Infrastructure that organize for Reproductive Justice

    • Reproductive justice, a framework developed by Black women, calls on us to fully embody intersectional approaches to solve this crisis. That framework connects abortion access, birth justice, climate and economic justice, and many forms of bodily autonomy, including freedom from state violence. This work is a testament to the power of consistent and persistent organizing. It is also a reminder that the current challenges to abortion access are a backlash to the very real wins of the reproductive justice movement, including in expanding our understanding of what is possible. Read more at Collective Futures Fund: https://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/2022/06/06/the-time-is-now/ 

  • Support foundations and organizations like Collective Futures Fund, Groundswell Fund, Ms. Foundation for Women, Third Wave Fund, and your local feminist fund which give to grassroots, local, and smaller budget groups. 

  • Support local advocacy groups: some include Reproductive Equity Now, Massachusetts Beyond Roe Coalition,  and Massachusetts NARAL Pro-Choice.

  • Speak out: Call on your Congressional representatives to codify Roe as law and protect abortion rights. Don’t know who your congressperson is? Use this link to find out. 

There is no doubt that we are living through scary times in America, but the fight is not over yet and there are actions that we can all do to push back against injustices on our reproductive freedom.

Jud-Ann Geneus