National Organization for Women of New Jersey condemns Supreme Court proposed action to strike down Roe

United States government should not be in the business of forcing women to give birth

National Organization for Women of New Jersey (NOW–NJ) is outraged by the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion in the Mississippi abortion case that points to a proposed reversal of the decisions from Roe v Wade and Casey v Planned Parenthood. Although the language may change in the final opinion, the outcome is clear—there will be no compromise, no mitigation in terms of how many weeks before an abortion is forbidden for women and pregnant persons. The new ultra-conservative majority on the Supreme Court, working in concert with right-wing extremists controlling state legislatures, will erase the Constitutional protection of reproductive healthcare for much of the country.

Passage of the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act this past January has ensured that New Jerseyans will retain the right to safe, legal abortion. To obtain the same protection at the federal level, we must get the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a federal statutory right to access to abortion care, passed in Congress, and that means electing a Manchin-proof majority in the Senate and keeping control of the House.

“Abortion bans have little to do with protecting women’s health or anyone’s life. They are about control and the power politicians want to retain over women’s lives and their future. Forcing women to give birth is dystopian and straight out of the Handmaid’s Tale,” said Anjali Mehrotra, President of NOW–NJ. “The Supreme Court’s rulings on restrictions on abortion, voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, marriage equality and contraception, are harmful, dangerous and hateful. They are nothing short of an outright attack on our Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ communities and economically insecure women who are most at risk. It is imperative that we take all steps necessary to protect New Jersey’s women and families.”

NOW members across the nation are outraged, energized, and ready to fight back. We know that there’s a feminist majority of voters who can change the course of history in November. This is our mission. This is our time. Now, it’s up to us to vote for women’s lives. Our collective voice and power will rise to defend Roe. We will not fail.

About National Organization for Women of New Jersey (NOW-NJ)

The purpose of NOW New Jersey is to take action through intersectional, anti-racist grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life.

For more information about NOW New Jersey, please visit www.nownj.org.

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