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Since the US Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion(Roe v Wade), there has been a constant and broad attack on all aspects of women's reproductive and parenting rights. The consequences have been devastating, especially for women whose race, age, legal, or economic status makes them targets of discrimination.
At the same time, these threats have galvanized activism. There has been tremendous growth in the number of organizations and coalitions working to protect abortion rights, as well as advocating a broader reproductive rights, health, and justice agenda.
This article describes the major activist trends in this period, focusing primarily on those that have been less visible. Documenting activist history allows us to draw inspiration and important lessons for the future. (Am J Public Health. 2013;103: 10-14. doi:10.2105/AJPH. 2012.301125)
TRUST BLACK WOMEN1
successfully challenged a racist billboard campaign depicting women of color as the most dangerous threat to their children2 and mobilized to defeat proposed legislation that restricted abortion based on the race of the fetus.3 Amid massive protests, the Susan G. Komen Foundation4 was forced to rescind its decision not to fund screenings for breast cancer at Planned Parenthood clinics. Contraception coverage was preserved under the Affordable Care Act. Thousands of women without economic means have been able to obtain an abortion with financial assistance from grassroots abortion funds that are part of The National Network of Abortion Funds.
This snapshot of recent activist victories for reproductive rights reflects a powerful breadth of activity. It demonstrates that countering antiabortion initiatives continues to shape reproductive rights advocacy. Since Roe v Wade,5 those dedicated to recriminalizing abortion have waged a multifront, sometimes violent, battle. There have been direct legal challenges to Roe itself, but the major strategy has been to restrict the availability of abortion. Forty years later, opponents have severely curtailed a woman's options through the passage of hundreds of laws and policies; the appointments of antiabortion justices and judges; campaigns that stigmatize abortion, women, and those who provide care; and criminal attacks on providers and clinics. As a result, the legal right to abortion stands, but obtaining a safe and legal abortion is not an option for many women.
These attacks on abortion rights have been in the forefront of a broad conservative agenda, targeting all...