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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— Sam Woodring (she/her); Women Have Options Ohio; [email protected]

Ohio’s Statewide Abortion Fund Reacts to SCOTUS Intent to Overturn Roe v. Wade: Women Have Options Ohio (WHO/O) Condemns SCOTUS Draft, Calls Ohioans to Action

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 3, 2022)—Late yesterday evening, a leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) shows the Court’s intent to completely overturn protections for abortion access outlined in Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood.

Justice Samuel Alito writes for the majority that, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.” The February draft continues, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.” WHO/O is exceptionally dismayed with the Court’s regressive stance, holding that this decision will ultimately lead to the oppression of countless Ohioans. WHO/O stands in solidarity with the organizers and activists who intend to rally at the Supreme Court of Ohio tonight, May 3, at 5:00 pm. 

Chair of WHO/O’s Board of Directors & abortion storyteller, Jordyn Close, comes out against  the decision, “Their [SCOTUS’] decision is blatantly a product of extremist, anti-choice rhetoric that plagues conversations about reproductive freedom. Every abortion ban, no matter the level of restriction, are tools of oppression. All abortion bans are racist, classist and dangerous. The oppression of our bodies, especially of Black and brown Ohioans is tactical, and our liberation will never be handed down in the form of a Court opinion. WHO/O will continue organizing, funding, and rallying around the framework of true Reproductive Justice, created & sustained by Black womxn.”

Interim Executive Director, Maggie Scotece, similarly states, “Abortion is still legal in Ohio,  and WHO/O will continue the crucial work of supporting patients now and through the official death of Roe. Access to abortion is about to become even more financially and logistically inaccessible for Ohioans, particularly those in our disabled, low-income, and multiply oppressed communities. We will continue to serve our community and help patients bridge the financial and logistical gaps they face when seeking care. WHO/O will always push forward towards our mission to provide economic and reproductive liberation of all Ohioans.”

Right now, abortion funds across the country are preparing for a massive increase in funding requests from patients for whom abortion will no longer be financially or logistically accessible. In Ohio, the state legislature’s newest attack on our bodily autonomy comes in the form of House Bill 598, which would ban abortion in all cases except medical emergencies and would make performing an abortion a first-degree felony. The bill, if enacted, would also prohibit the manufacturing and sale of medications and devices intended for use in abortions, prohibit promoting abortion, and criminalize individuals who safely self-manage their abortions. Despite its clear infringement on bodily autonomy and reproductive rights, the bill is expected to clear both chambers in one form or another.

WHO/O anticipates requests for service to double this summer, especially given that one-way travel distances could increase tenfold in a worst-case scenario Post-Roe. This decision could push abortion further out of reach for thousands of poor and working class Ohioans. From the draft to final decision, WHO/O will rally among and alongside organizers, clinics, storytellers, and patients as we claim the liberation that is justly ours.

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Women Have Options Ohio (WHO/O) is a 501(c)3 organization that provides financial assistance and practical support to help patients afford contraception, emergency contraception, and abortion services. Since 1992, WHO has helped thousands pay for their reproductive choices. If you need help accessing abortion care, please contact us here. If you would like to help someone access abortion care, you can contribute monthly or as a one-time gift.