Voting Blue this November is Essential to the Fight for Reproductive Rights
The leaked SCOTUS draft has many red-state citizens feeling hopeless, but voting blue this November can help mitigate this decision’s impact on our nation’s future. Overturning Roe v. Wade will cause significant harm to many women and sets reproductive rights back decades. It is vital that we are informed on why we must fight for reproductive rights and how we can do so.
Leaving abortion law up to the states will lead to restrictions and bans in most states in the US. Those experiencing an unwanted pregnancy will be forced to endure pregnancy and birth unless they can take on the financial burden of traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to have the procedure done in another state. Indeed, overturning federal abortion protection will disproportionately affect those of a lower income level. This group is also less likely to receive the medical care and financial support necessary to carry and birth a child. While the amount of restriction and isolation from access will vary from state to state, the decision will cause physical and emotional trauma for many, and for some, it will even cost them their lives.
With the right to bodily autonomy taken away, some women will make the decision to undergo dangerous self-induced abortions. In the most extremist areas, women will die from pregnancy complications, having been denied the right to preserve their own life over the fetus. The lives that will be lost due to the Supreme Court’s barbaric decision will be in the hands of anti-choice lawmakers. We must fight against these oppressive and violent lawmakers who wish to control women. Indeed, the need to take action against this atrocious human rights violation is dire.
Thankfully, there are a number of things pro-choice advocates can do to combat this attack on reproductive rights. Organizations like the Center for Reproductive Rights provide links to resources that allow you to take action right now. There are other ways we can help, some of which require a longer-term plan of action. Much of how we got here has to do with who has been elected to office and the types of decisions they made while serving. If we can elect people who will protect reproductive rights rather than take them away, we may find ourselves in a brighter spot in the future.
There are ways to help change abortion laws at both the state and federal levels. Since abortion rights would be left up to the states, electing pro-choice state lawmakers is now more important than ever. Likewise, we can also elect pro-choice federal lawmakers who can help enact legislation that protects our reproductive freedoms nationwide. We are currently in the midst of a critical election year, so now is the time to both prepare ourselves and others for the upcoming election. Here at Rideshare2Vote, we combat voter suppression by providing free rides to the polls for Democrats. Increasing blue voter turnout is essential if we want pro-choice lawmakers in office. If you would like to help us increase turnout and fight voter suppression, you can sign up to volunteer with us here or donate here.
by Caitlyn Alexander
