Reproductive Rights in the USA - ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)

On 7 November 2023, there was a critical victory for reproductive freedom. Results in Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania demonstrate that the overwhelming majority of people want to protect reproductive freedom and abortion access.

In Ohio, voters said loud and clear that they won't put up with politicians banning abortion and forcing people to carry pregnancies against their will. They passed Issue 1 to enshrine a right to reproductive freedom, including decisions about abortion, contraceptives, and miscarriage care, in the state constitution.

In Virginia, voters elected a pro-abortion rights majorities in the General Assembly, rejecting pledges from anti-abortion extremists to pass a 15-week abortion ban if they took power.

In Pennsylvania, voters elected a new justice to the state Supreme Court who will protect abortion access, maintaining a majority on the court that will be a backstop against potential attacks on reproductive freedom.

These are resounding wins for reproductive freedom. They demonstrate that abortion rights represent the will of the people. But across the country, in more than a dozen states, abortion bans remain in place – impacting more than 20 million people who could be denied care. State-by-state victories, while crucial, will not solve the crisis created by Roe being overturned. We need federal protections for abortion.