Supreme Court Protects Access to Abortion in Louisiana — for Now

Today the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision in June Medical Services v. Russo, struck down the Louisiana law that imposed medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion providers. This case, and 16 others waiting one step away from SCOTUS, was a clear effort to eliminate access to abortion and overturn Roe v. Wade. We all braced for the decision and breathed a collective sigh of relief when the court affirmed access to abortion for the time being. We can all celebrate this moment of victory today while noting that, for far too many people, access to abortion still remains a right on paper only.

We are in a world where politicians have pushed basic health care almost out of reach for millions of Americans, and where your ability to access abortion is still determined by where you live, how much money you make and the color of your skin. For Black people in particular, there can be no reproductive freedom unless they have the freedom to live without fear of persecution from police.

We know we cannot win this fight alone. Today is a moment to recommit to making our voices heard in elections and in every decision-making moment with elected officials. We must all be a part of it.

Are you in for the long run? Are you in to move us past this moment of victory to a day when abortion rights are not under attack and are instead protected for every single person no matter who they are, where they live or how much money they have?

November 3rd is Election Day. Mark your calendars. We need you because we should not be holding our breath for court decisions. We must elect champions who will protect and expand access to abortion and all sexual and reproductive health care. Join us here.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon is also committed to working with our coalition partners at reproductive justice and rights organizations to win. Together we have expanded access and defended against attacks every time in Oregon, and we will do it again. We are in this together with our partners. The team is big in Oregon! Shout-out to our partners at NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Forward Together, ACLU of Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Northwest Abortion Access Fund, Basic Rights Oregon, Rural Organizing Project, Western States Center, Family Forward, SEIU, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Health Equity Alliance and Oregon Latino Health Coalition, who are leading the work on the ground to reduce the gap between legality and access so that reproductive health care is not limited to a privileged few. In addition, Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon is committed to working with a strong coalition to defeat anti-abortion politicians at the ballot box in November.

Art created by Kenya Martin, Jasmine Burnett and Micah Bazant as a collaboration between National Network of Abortion Funds and Forward Together. Image description: Painting of 3 generations of Black women surrounded by love, flowers, birds and plants, with large white text saying “Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion” against a purple background. The grandmother is braiding stars into the mother’s hair, and more stars flow down into the palm of the smiling granddaughter.