by the ROC DSA Socialist Feminist Collective
The Supreme Court voted on Friday, June 24, to overturn Roe v. Wade. We knew this was coming, but that doesn’t lessen the anger, the fear, or the new danger that millions of people across the United States are now in. There are no words to adequately express it. The precedent is now set, and the Supreme Court is expected to strip more protections from the people of the United States: Obergefell and Lawrence are likely next.
In more than half the states of the US, abortion is now effectively illegal. Pregnant people are subject to unjust and humiliating scrutiny, and face the increasingly dangerous task of traveling across state lines for basic medical care. These states will need networks of activists on the ground to hide, protect, and support pregnant people in their journeys. We know that poor and marginalized people will bear the brunt of the abuse and violence. The white upper class will not ever be tied down by the laws of the land. The rich have access to interstate and international travel in a way that will never be known to the poor, or racialized minorities. This is what the ruling is about: increased control over women and marginalized genders and identities, over BIPOC and over the working class at large.
The ruling does not exist in a vacuum, but reflects a larger systemic effort to disenfranchise those who do not directly support white supremacy and capitalism. We are not safe in New York as our politicians would have us believe. This New York State government will not attack abortion access — the next New York State government may not be so gracious. Promises from government officials cannot ever be considered guarantees.
Our government does not and cannot keep us safe; we keep us safe.
We must not rely upon our government to protect us. Our government operates at the whim of capital — politicians will campaign on abortion access, and do little to support it in material ways once in office. Our government does not and cannot keep us safe; we keep us safe. In New York, our networks of medical facilities face overwhelm — but abortion refugees must be protected, and must never be turned away. There is hard work ahead of us.
What we must do now is organize, and take action. Protect abortion providers existing in your community; join in organizing to have more built. Call out and shame Crisis Pregnancy Centers and organizations who would prey upon vulnerable people and steer them away from valid and licensed medical resources. For more information on Crisis Pregnancy Centers in Rochester, please visit our website exposing local fake clinics and reach out to get involved in our work.
The Socialist Feminist Collective is a group of ROC DSA members practicing socialist feminist politics in Rochester, NY. Formed in early 2018 as a response to the failures of mainstream liberal feminism, we organize around reproductive freedom, economic justice, and other issues that especially impact working and poor people. Our goal is to affect radical change in the conditions of the lives of the poor and working class.
All anti-capitalist, feminist allies are welcome to join us in our work – get in touch on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!