We Have the Tools to Fight

By Christine Charbonneau

By now, the shock of the election is likely wearing off, and the pain of the realities is setting in. As distressing as it all seems, I want to remind us all of a few things:

Firstly, when “the people” get a chance to defend a woman’s right to choose, they ALWAYS choose to return to something like the Roe standard. Abortion rights won in all states but three. Here are some notes on those three:

• Florida requires a supermajority to pass any initiative of the people, and abortion rights got 57% of the vote, just shy of the 60% needed. 57% would be a huge win anywhere else.
• Nebraska put two different versions of choice bills on the ballot, confusing their voters. Expect to see our opposition use this tactic again because it worked for them, but there was no evidence that the people of Nebraska do not want choice.
• South Dakota put a ban on the books and called it a pro-choice effort. The pro-choice movement did not want to spend its resources on a 12-week ban and abandon the women who need later procedures, so there was no real campaign opposing the anti-choice effort.

So, I remain optimistic that we actually have the support of the majority in all 50 states, if the issues are presented properly to the voters and they have a chance to hear our point of view.

Secondly, progressive advocates are prepared to “flood the zone” with lawsuits to slow the Trump Administration in enacting their Project 2025 goals to deprive patients in the United States of access to abortion medication.

To support this effort, ReproHub will be a funder of some of these legal efforts, with the generous support of major US foundations who understand that abortion medication is how over 65% of American women are maintaining their access today.

Thirdly, while the pro-choice candidate for President did not win, 12% of voters for President-elect Trump voted with us. He himself knows that this is now an 80-20 issue—with our position being the 80. He is unlikely to use much political capital to broaden the negative landscape. The Shield law states will not cooperate with any anti-choice effort, collect evidence, or provide information to states which might want to prosecute women.

I am not naïve enough to think we will not face opposition, harassment, threats, challenges, or that we will never lose. But I do think we have some good tools at our disposal to fight the good fight. Thank you for supporting us so that we can be in a position to prevent women from dying.