MSPA Statement on the Draft Supreme Court Opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
MAY 20TH, 2022
MSPA Chapters, Members, Partners, and Supporters:
On May 2, 2022, Politico leaked a draft decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.1 This draft opinion, written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, suggests that the Supreme Court of the United States is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that assured a pregnant person’s right to choose an abortion is protected by the Constition.
MSPA strongly condemns any actions by local, state, or federal governments to limit or prohibit access to reproductive care, including abortion. Over the past few years, we have seen a drastic increase in attempts to limit abortion access in the United States. 2021 saw nineteen states collectively enact more than 100 restrictions on abortion, the most in U.S. history.2
As an organization of future physicians, MSPA recognizes the right of each individual to bodily autonomy. Additionally, as LGBTQ+ trainees, we acknowledge that LGBTQ+ people have historically been denied such autonomy in great numbers. The fight for reproductive justice, bodily autonomy, and LGBTQ+ rights have long been intertwined, as demonstrated by increases in not only attempts to ban abortion but also restrictions on health care for transgender and gender non-conforming patients.
Overruling the Court’s initial decision in Roe v. Wade would have drastic consequences for all people across the country, but especially members of the LGBTQ+ community, who are more likely to request an abortion due to structural barriers in accessing contraceptives and reproductive health services.3 There is additional concern for other protections provided to citizens if the Court choses to disregard precendent and overturn Roe v. Wade. Forcing a person to carry a pregnancy denies that person their right to bodily autonomy. Abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights are founded in the principle of equality, and eliminating such denies patients equal treatment under the law.4
MSPA wants to remind all people that this draft decision is not yet final. To learn more or to find an abortion provider, please see our recommended resources. Abortions are healthcare. Any decision to the contrary goes against the principles of equality, equity, and independence that all patients deserve.
Below, please find our recommended reading and resources to learn more about abortion resources in the United States.
A Guide to Abortion Resources in a Post-Roe America | WIRED
Donate to Support Community-Based Abortion Clinics | Keep Our Clinics
Information About Medical Abortions | Plan C
Reproductive Health Access Project
State by State Facts About Abortion | Guttmacher Institute
References
Gerstein, J., Ward, A. (2022, May 2). Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows. Politco. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
Nash, E. (2021, October 4). For the First Time Ever, U.S. States Enacted More Than 100 Abortion Restrictions in a Single Year. Guttmacher Institute. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2021/10/first-time-ever-us-states-enacted-more-100-abortion-restrictions-single-year
Charlton, B. M., Everett, B. G., Light, A., Jones, R. K., Janiak, E., Gaskins, A. J., ... & Austin, S. B. (2020). Sexual orientation differences in pregnancy and abortion across the lifecourse. Women's Health Issues, 30(2), 65-72.
Brief for LGBTQ Organizations and Advocates as Amicus Curiae in Support of Respondents, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. (2021). Retrieved May 20, 2022. https://www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20210920_Dobbs-v-JWHO-Amicus.pdf