Dear PWN community,

We are devastated. We are heartbroken. And we will never stop fighting to Liberate Abortion.

See how you can take action below.

This morning we learned the U.S. Supreme Court has voted to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade, effectively erasing the constitutional right to an abortion. With trigger laws currently going into effect, abortion will be swiftly banned or severely restricted in at least 23 states, particularly across the U.S. South, where tens of millions of people are being deprived of control over their bodies and reproductive decisions.

While we knew today’s decision was coming, and reproductive justice warriors have literally been strategically preparing for this moment for years, we could not have emotionally prepared for how hurtful and damaging it is. We will hold each other through this heartbreak, we will take to the streets, and we will not stop fighting until we liberate abortion for everyone.

The state has always exerted violence over how we live, die, and reproduce in order to serve the interests of white supremacy and patriarchy; anti-abortion policies are no exception.

At their heart, anti-abortion policies represent the state’s desire to have unchecked power and reproductive control over its citizens. They are inextricably linked with white supremacy and the violence produced in its name. They are, and continue to be, especially devastating for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, undocumented people, and people struggling to make ends meet. We are clear about the links between criminalization of abortion and criminalization of HIV, sex work, trans, queer, Black, Indigenous, and melanated bodies.

Overturning Roe makes society less safe for us all and puts those seeking an abortion at an increased risk of harm by the state and vigilantes. Ultimately, neither the criminalization of abortion nor HIV advance public health, and responses to both must address race, class, and state violence.

Are you ready to stand up and fight with us for reproductive justice today?

Here are three things you can do:

  1.  Join a rally near you. They start at 5pm across the country.

  2. Take PWN’s pledge to protect abortion freedom and share with all your friends! By signing up, you will be updated with news and opportunities to take action.

  3. If you haven’t already, sign up here to receive updates from the Health Not Prisons (HNP) Collective and join the fight to end the criminalization of our bodies.

The Health Not Prisons Collective (HNP) is an intersectional national initiative launched in 2020 by Counter Narrative Project (CNP), Positive Women’s Network – USA (PWN), Sero Project, Transgender Law Center (TLC), and the U.S. Caucus of People Living with HIV (the HIV Caucus) — longtime collaborators led by, and accountable to, communities most affected by HIV criminalization in the United States.  

Bodily autonomy and reproductive justice are two of the core, founding principles of both Positive Women’s Network and the Health Not Prisons Collective. Abortion care is healthcare and a human right. We are committed to planning actions to stand against abortion criminalization. Will you join us?