Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Marks One Year Since Dobbs
For Immediate Release: June 24, 2023
Washington, D.C. — Today marks one year since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which allowed state politicians to ban abortion and stripped tens of millions of people of the right to make their own personal medical decisions. Twenty states have since banned or eliminated all or some access to abortion — creating chaos, confusion, and anguish. But the past 365 days have also brought momentous victories — from the ballot box to state legislatures.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, issued the following statement to mark a full year of resilience and a never-ending commitment to the fight ahead:
“The story of the past year is one of devastation and unbreaking determination. We have seen what strength looks like. It’s providers and health center staff who worked extra shifts and extended hours to treat an influx of patients from out of state. Patient navigators who helped people get the resources they needed to travel for care. Friends and family who dropped everything to support their loved ones. Patients who drove hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles, just to get access to care. Advocates who took to the streets and to the ballot box.
“The anti-abortion movement thought the Dobbs decision would break us. And while it has created chaos, it has also made the supporters of abortion rights — the majority in this country — more committed than ever before to building a better future. The rights we have in 20 years will be determined by how we fight the next two years. This is a fight we must have. And it is a fight we will win.”
Read McGill Johnson’s op-ed in Elle: Planned Parenthood’s Alexis McGill Johnson on How We’ll Win Back Reproductive Rights.