The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade case, ending nearly 50 years of constitutional abortion protections and leaving millions of women in the country unprotected in their reproductive choices.
The court, by a 6-3 vote, upheld a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks, joining dozens of states across the country that had previously pledged to pass similar laws following the ruling.
In response to the Supreme Court decision resulting in the loss of the constitutional right to abortion, San Francisco Mayor, London N. Breed, announced the first steps being taken to prepare for local impacts and to ensure that San Francisco continues to present itself as a place that proudly protects and supports a woman’s right to choose.
With input from leading abortion rights organizations, the San Francisco Department of the Status of Women (DOSW) has identified the next steps San Francisco will take to prepare for any influx of out-of-state travelers and minimize the damage from the ruling.
“This decision is devastating for women and for our country. San Francisco will continue to proudly protect women’s health and the fundamental right to choose. This is a dark day, but we will continue to fight and will not give up,” Mayor Breed tweeted following the announcement.
In a press release, DOSW said it has begun to initiate a Bay Area coordinating table of providers, advocacy organizations and local government agencies to better understand the services available across the region and what may be needed, as well as to prepare for any state-level interventions that may come.
Additionally, she said, she has begun measuring local capacity for abortion care services to understand what services are available to women in San Francisco and what impacts they may have as a result of this decision.
DOSW is distributing $250,000 in emergency grants to local organizations for immediate capacity building and wraparound service support so that women can continue to receive the care and support they need as demand for services potentially increases.
“San Francisco has proudly served for generations as a place that respects fundamental civil rights, including a woman’s right to choose. The ramifications of this Supreme Court ruling on public health, poverty, and so many downstream consequences remain to be seen, but right now, women are scared about what this means for themselves, for their daughters, for all of us,” Breed said.
“San Francisco cannot fix national policy, but we can ensure that the residents of this city are safe from anyone who would criminalize health care, and we are working with the entire Bay Area to prepare for any impact of this decision,” he added.
Kimberly Ellis, director of DOSW, said the measure would lead to failed clandestine abortions and, consequently, the deaths of women.
“There will be botched home and clandestine abortions, and women will die unnecessarily. We have a moral obligation to do everything we can to protect the lives of living, breathing mothers, daughters, sisters, partners and wives. No person should have to choose between giving birth and dying, but that is exactly our new reality,” she said.
According to a poll conducted by NBC News, 63 percent of Americans said in May that they did not believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, compared with 30 percent of people who wanted the abortion rights ruling overturned.
Additionally, a combined 60 percent of Americans nationwide said abortion should be legal always (37 percent) or legal most of the time (23 percent).
By party, 84 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of independents want abortion to be legal, compared to just 33 percent of Republicans.
MoveOn has partnered with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Women's March, UltraViolet, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), NARAL Pro-Choice America, SEIU, the Liberate Abortion coalition of reproductive justice organizations and leaders, and partners across the country to organize "We Will Not Go Back" actions across the country to speak out against the Supreme Court's decision.
There will be several marches in the Bay Area. So far, marches are expected to take place in San Francisco and Napa on Friday.
- Protest at the Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave. – 5pm
- Pro-Choice Rally at Powell & Market – 5pm
- Old Courthouse Brown Third / Napa – Time/Date TBD – Currently being organized.
While a protest is planned for tomorrow, Saturday, at San José City Hall at 10:00 a.m., however, the details are still subject to change.
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