The Supreme Court has ruled 5-3 to protect access to safe and legal abortion. In standing up for Texas women, the Court reinforced that politicians can't pass laws that punish women by blocking access to safe abortion under the guise of protecting their health.
But this decision doesn't undo years of attacks on abortion access, or repeal similar terrible laws in other states. And it doesn't reverse the havoc wreaked on Texas women since 2014, when the law forced half of Texas' abortion clinics to close.
Despite today's good news, far too many women still face barriers to accessing abortion. Since 2011, more than 316 restrictions on abortion access have passed in state after state across the country. In just the first six months of 2016, 442 more have been introduced. And this isn't just happening in other states. Every year, dangerous abortion restrictions are introduced in Minnesota.
When politicians throw up obstacles to abortion access, only our friends in the legislature can block them. We rely on our women's health champions in Minnesota to protect our patients from what happened to Texas women - like having to forgo basic health because their closest clinic was closed, or even inducing their own abortions. State lawmakers hold a lot of power - and we must hold them accountable. Without our champions in the legislature, we can't count on abortion to be accessible in Minnesota. And we can't risk a law like the Texas law and so many others around the country ever being passed in our state. We must ensure our lawmakers respect the Constitution, respect women's rights, and govern responsibly.
Your voice and your support mean so much to us in this fight. We're celebrating today, but we know there is more work ahead of us. We are so grateful to have supporters like you by our side.
Tags: minnesota