The International Action Network for Gender Equity and Law (IANGEL) is outraged by the draft decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that would reverse nearly 50 years of established law providing federal constitutional protection of abortion rights. The leaked draft in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health penned by Justice Alito is a shameful and dishonest evisceration of the fundamental rights of privacy and personal autonomy that are the essence of liberty in a free society. Under this opinion, rights to birth control and marriage equality are also in jeopardy.
In Justice Alito’s view, federal constitutional protection of liberty only applies to rights “deeply rooted in the nation’s history and tradition,” and thus excludes women, people of color, and the poor. This racist, misogynistic view has no place in a modern pluralistic society, let alone a SCOTUS opinion in 2022. It is an appalling throwback to days when the laws protected only wealthy white straight men. Nor will it prevent abortions – it will only make them less safe and available to pregnant people who cannot afford a trip to a state that respects their right to reproductive choice. Once again, women will be forced to choose between an unsafe abortion or giving birth against their will. Some will die. Others will suffer the lifelong impact of unwanted births, exacerbating existing social and economic inequality.
We are angry, but we will not accept this brazen revocation of the right to self-determination that is essential to gender equality. We urge our community to hold those elected representatives who fail to support and advance gender equality accountable, and to demand that they provide lasting legal protection for our fundamental rights. We demand that all governments uphold the human right to sexual and reproductive healthcare no matter where one lives. And we call on all mothers, sisters, daughters, and those who love them, to stand up, speak out, and make your voices heard.
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