Feature image by Alex Wong/Getty Images.
I’m mad. I’ve been SO MAD. And also… Sad. Bewildered. I keep trying to swirl my mind about it. Because we all knew it was coming right? We all knew that the end game has always been Roe v. Wade.
Last night, aleaked draft of a Supreme Court decisionoverturning Roe v. Wade — the famous 1973 decision that guarantees the legal right to an abortion — has absolutely ripped through the hearts and minds of everyone I know (and probably everyone that you know, too). Last night I went through waves of panic, just trying to have a grasp on it.
The document, which was written by Justice Samuel Alito, was first reported on last night by Politico. It’s drafted majority decision to the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is about a Mississippi law banning abortion at 15 weeks. In unambiguous language, the opinion overturns Roe v. Wade, as well as another case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld the central tenet of Roe but allowed states to restrict access as long as they did not place “an undue burden” on people seeking abortions.
The decision, when it goes into effect, would give states the right to restrict abortion access or deny it completely.
However, and this is what is the most important: The draft opinion leaked last night is not law. It has not been formally issued by the court. Activists and pendants are expecting for a ruling handed down this summer. We are not there yet. And if you (or someone that you knows) need access to a safe, legal abortion, they can find a clinic at ineedanA.com or text ‘hello’ to 202 883 4620.
But we can be sure that the leaked ruling will continue embolding those conservative-led states already eager to restrict access to the procedure. And it will discourage those who need it from seeking abortions that, under current law, they are are still legally entitled to have.
The fight to keep abortion is going to need to come from a lot of sides, from our legislative representatives, from activists on the ground, and from ourselves. There will be lots of discussions about legal strategies and next steps, and those are key! I wish I had more words. I wish I knew how to be eloquent in my daze. If you find yourself in the same place, I wanted to highlight at least one specific, actionable thing you can do right now.
This post was originally written in 2021 and has been updated and republished, because there is no way off this rollercoaster except to rely on ourselves, our advocacy, and to fight.
What Is an Abortion Fund?
If you’ve been on social media in the last 24 hours, you’ve probably seen calls to support abortion funds, and you’ll probably see more in the days and months to come. Abortion provide financial and/or tangible (transportation, mental health care, volunteer assistance, etc) support to those who need an abortion. They have been around for decades. ABORTION IS STILL LEGAL AND AVAILABLE IN ALL 50 STATES —I cannot stress that enough. And the battle to keep it that way is not over. But those most vulnerable need immediate aid now, and this is tangible way to show up and support.
You can donate (or learn how to volunteer!) with the organizations listed below.
I have put an [*] next to states where there are trigger laws already in place that, should Roe v. Wade be overturned, abortion would immediately become banned and illegal (there are 13 states where that currently applies), along with states where there is currently only one abortion clinic in the state, or states where late term abortions are purposefully and punitively cost prohibitive. (Thank you to this twitter thread shared with me this morning by Autostraddle’s Director of Operations, Laneia, for the idea.)
This is not a perfect system! For example, you’ll notice that Texas does not have an [*] despite being notoriously precarious (to put it generously) when it comes to safe abortion care. MSNBC, for example, is reporting 23 states that will ban abortion should Roe be overturned due to a variety of factors, including old pre-Roe laws that are currently still on the books (this includes my home state Michigan, which also does not have an asterisk on this list).
But I am hoping to draw attention to the inequity in safe abortion access in this country, right now, and who will be left with the least amount of resources if the road we’re on continues. If you live in one of the 21 states, and DC, where the right to abortion is legally protected please support and continue the fight at home — but also recognize your privilege, and consider supporting beyond the safety net your community as well.
Give to an Abortion Fund
Some of these funds have “women” in their title. Not all people who are in need of abortions are women. However, in the interest of providing the widest breadth of information to those who may be in need, in parts of the country where abortion access is in immediate jeopardy, we only included funds that have “women” in the title if there was no other fund available in that state. We recognize it’s a delicate line, and one not one we take lightly. Safe abortion access is critical for trans patients, and should always be a priority.
Alaska
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
Alabama
Alabama Cohosh Collaborative
Yellowhammer Fund
ARC — Southeast
Arizona *
Abortion Fund of Arizona
Tucson Abortion Support Collective
Donate to Multiple Arizona Abortion Funds at Once, including Indigenous Women Rising (Arizona)
Arkansas *
Arkansas Abortion Support Network
California
Colorado
Cobalt Fund
Colorado Doula Project
Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights
District of Columbia
Delaware
Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Delaware
Florida
Florida Access Network
Emergency Medical Assistance Inc.
Tampa Bay Abortion Fund
ARC — Southeast
Donate to Multiple Florida Abortion Funds at Once
Georgia
ARC — Southeast
The Feminist Center (Atlanta)
Hawaii
University of Hawaii Reproductive Justice Fund
Idaho *
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
Illinois
Indiana
All-Options Hoosier Abortion Fund
Iowa
deProsse Access Fund of the Emma Goldman Clinic
Iowa Abortion Access Fund
Kansas
Kentucky *
A Fund, Inc
Kentucky Health Justice Network
Louisiana *
Maine
Massachusetts
Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts
Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund
Jane Fund of Central Massachusetts
Maryland
Baltimore Abortion Fund
DC Abortion Fund – MD
Michigan
Reclaim MI WIN Fund
Fountain Street Fund
Minnesota
HOTDISH Militia (Hand Over The Decision It’s Healthcare)
Our Justice’s Abortion Assistance Fund
Just the Pill
Mississippi *
Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund
ARC — Southeast
Missouri *
Montana
Nebraska
Nebraska Abortion Resources
Clinics for Abortion & Reproductive Excellence
Nevada
New Hampshire
Reproductive Freedom Fund of New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Jersey Abortion Access Fund
New Mexico
Mariposa Fund
West Fund NM
Indigenous Women Rising (New Mexico)
NMRCRC
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota *
North Dakota Women in Need Abortion Access Fund
Ohio
Preterm Access Fund
Agnes Reynolds Jackson Fund
Oklahoma *
Oregon
Cascades Abortion Support Collective
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania Fund for Choice
Rhode Island
Women’s Health and Education Fund
South Carolina
Carolina Abortion Fund – SC
Palmetto State Abortion Fund
ARC — Southeast
South Dakota *
Justice Through Empowerment Network
Tennessee *
Texas
The Afiya CenterThe Bridge Collective
The Clinic Access Support Network
Frontera Fund
Fund Texas Choice
Jane’s Due Process
Lilith Fund
Texas Equal Access Fund
West Fund
Utah *
Vermont
Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom
Virginia
Blue Ridge Abortion Fund
DC Abortion Fund – VA
New River Abortion Access Fund
Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project
Hampton Roads Reproductive Justice League
Washington
Northwest Abortion Access Fund
West Virginia *
Holler Health Justice
West Virginia FREE Choice Fund
Wisconsin
Wyoming *
Chelsea’s Fund
Pro-Choice Wyoming
Sharing with everyone now. Thank you so much, Carmen! Does any know how this impacts Puerto Rico?
thank you for this work. Is there anything that can be done to get trigger laws & pre roe laws off the book in states that are dem & woman led, like New Mexico?
Thank you for updating! I also wanted to share this fund in PA which recently changed its name to Abortion Liberation Fund of PA: https://abortionfundpa.org/
Yes! ALF–PA is awesome. The name change was from a very intentional (and queer!) planning process. They also have merch: https://alfpa.threadless.com/
Carmen — thank you for this. I am a resident of MD and wanted to point out that MD doesn’t have a trigger law.
You are correct, it does not! The asterisk is for “states where there are trigger laws already in place that… along with states where there is currently only one abortion clinic in the state, or states where late term abortions are purposefully and punitively cost prohibitive.”
And I misread Maryland being on the “purposefully and punitively expensive” list — I’ll update!
Thank you so much for all of these amazing resources! I just wanted to point out that Colorado also has an asterisk, but we have long been one of the few states where late-term abortions have been consistently available at multiple clinics, and we have no trigger laws in waiting. In fact, our Reproductive Health Equity Act became law last month, enshrining abortion and contraceptive access in the state.
Yes absolutely! This happened in the same misread as from the comment above, you just got in here before I could make the edits (yall are so fast!). Thank You!!
also please note that lots (dare i say most) of people in red states also do not want this! particularly in the deep south there’s such a long legacy of voter suppression and shady shit that the elected officials do not reflect the opinions of their constituents. the people most impacted by the loss of roe would be the very people on the receiving end of snarky tweets about “this is what happens when you don’t show up to the polls”
signed, texan with mississippi family
Iowa has a right to abortion right now but they are trying to pass a protect life bill. Of course it doesn’t really protect life cause if it did there would be way more social services & better Healthcare at lower cost.
Hey, just want to point out that I see the term “late-term abortion” used in this article and I know what you mean, but it is not medically accurate. My sister’s a nurse at one of the few clinics in the country that performs abortions later in pregnancy, and she would be mad at me if I didn’t speak up! Late-term means post-40 weeks, and abortions don’t happen then. It’s a political term, and it’s a key part of pro-life messaging. I like to take the wind out of their sails so I suggest saying 2nd or 3rd trimester, or post-20 weeks.
My sis likes the Brigid Alliance, her clinic works with them a lot.