Are These the Final Days of Legal Abortion?

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear the first challenge to abortion rights in the Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch era. There’s no more Justice Anthony Kennedy, who often voted with the liberal wing to uphold reproductive rights in the face of attacks on Roe v Wade.

And that means there is now a solid 5-4 conservative majority that really dislikes your right to choose what you do with your body.

The case they’re set to hear is known as June Medical Services v. Russo. The main issue in June Medical is whether Louisiana can require all abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

These laws are known as Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws. They cover things like the way abortion clinics look — including minute details like the width of hallways — and requirements about how, where, and by whom medication abortion can be provided.

Conservative lawmakers around the country say they’re passing TRAP laws in the name of ensuring patient safety. But that’s a bunch of bullshit. Abortion is already supremely safe — much safer than other outpatient procedures that don’t necessarily require admitting privileges.

And get this, the hospital admitting privileges law is also unconstitutional. The Supreme Court said so just over three years ago in its landmark opinion in a case called Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.

So what’s really going on here? Why try to pass burdensome laws that are also medically unnecessary? Well it’s pretty simple: These lawmakers want to shut down abortion clinics.

In other words, don’t attack Roe and the right to abortion itself — attack access. If you can’t access abortion, there is no right to abortion.

With the new conservative majority, is there any hope that the Supreme Court doesn’t kick abortion rights back to the Stone Age?

Print Share Comment Cite Upload Translate Updates

Leave a Reply Cancel reply