Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Statement on the 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision

Richmond, Va  --Today marks the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protected the constitutional right to abortion until June 24, 2022.

Statement from Jamie Lockhart, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia: 

“A year and a half ago, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that allowed states across the country to strip us of our rights. The chaos, desperation and confusion that has ensued since then has led to devastating experiences for tens of millions of people and counting, especially for those historically underrepresented, marginalized, or oppressed in our country. Twenty one states have banned some or all abortions. One in three women of reproductive age, plus more trans and nonbinary people, are blocked from abortion access in their home state. Many of these states are in the south, making access to abortion in Virginia critical for people who now have limited or no access where they live. 

As we commemorate this anniversary, it’s also important to acknowledge that Roe was never enough to protect abortion access for all people. Here in Virginia, several obstacles like a mandatory 24-hour waiting period, forced ultrasound, targeted restrictions on abortion providers undermined access for years and coexisted with Roe. 

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we’re also reminded that anti-abortion lawmakers and their allies were never satisfied with overturning Roe and they won’t stop until abortion is banned outright – everywhere. Across the country, over 160 anti-abortion bills have already been filed in 25 states this legislative session. 

Here in Virginia, anti-abortion rights Delegate Tim Griffin has already proposed a ban on abortion beginning at conception. Make no mistake – Griffin and his anti-abortion colleagues won’t stop until they’ve banned abortion in Virginia. 

These attacks are directly at odds with the clear message Virginia voters sent in November: Politicians have no place in our personal medical decisions. We are excited to partner with the pro-reproductive rights majorities in the House of Delegates and State Senate to put reproductive freedom on the ballot in 2026 and ensure that politicians can’t take away this critical health care.” 

 

###

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) is a statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to preserve and broaden access to reproductive health care through legislation, public education, electoral activity and litigation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. PPAV works to ensure that individuals and families have the freedom, information, and ability to make their own informed reproductive decisions.