The Next Major Reproductive Freedom Movement Has Begun—and It’s Creating Something Way More Powerful Than ‘Roe’
An interesting mood is rippling through abortion advocacy circles right now: a sense of possibility. At first, you might not expect that. The Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade is a historic affront, with devastating implications for the health, safety, and autonomy of millions. And so you might expect that people working on the front lines—abortion providers and reproductive rights activists and community organizers and clinic defenders—would curl into a collective ball: We lost! You would be very wrong.
As Roe was spiraling around the judicial drain, all throughout June 2022, Cosmo’s reporting team connected with grassroots movement leaders in all 50 states to gather dispatches from the ground. Many of these leaders used words like “optimism” and “excitement” to describe what’s fueling their work in this moment. Some said they’re feeling more inspired, more energized than they have in years. And this isn’t just in regions where abortion remains legally protected. What emerged from these conversations was an impassioned consensus: Progress toward reproductive freedom and justice is still very much happening, thank you. Regardless of the courts. Regardless of the alt-right rhetoric. Regardless of the discriminatory barriers that have always been there—but maybe won’t be for much longer, if we come together and do this next part right.
It’s understandable if you’re scared or uncertain right now, wondering, What does the future hold? For a road map, look to what folks have been out here doing all along: dreaming up new systems that not only protect but also expand abortion access, rooted in love, solidarity, and community care. Systems that, in some cases, are already up and running. The more of us who engage, the stronger and more real it all becomes. Welcome. Here’s how we’ll build something better.
“Creating better abortion access is about understanding what the landscape really looks like. Black folks, BIPOC folks, queer and trans folks have always had to center their power within the community. We’ve leaned into our communities to raise funds. We’ve leaned into our grassroots strategies of taking care of each other. This move [by the Supreme Court] does not take away our power. For folks who are new to this movement—folks who don’t reside within the margins—try to connect with a reproductive-justice group within your community. We are continuously working to expand our reach so that more people can get what they need despite being faced with systems that weren’t created for us.”
—KRYSTAL REDMAN, DrPH, MHA (they/she); executive director, Spark Reproductive Justice Now; ATLANTA, GEORGIA
“Even as state legislators pass draconian laws, remember that they are not the majority. The majority of folks in this country believe in access to reproductive health care, abortion, paid family leave, and universal free education from early childhood to college. The world is changing. We are starting to hear the death cry of the patriarchy. And we are on the front lines of that progress. I am so excited to be in this work.”
—ROSE O’HARA-JOLLEY (they/them); Alaska state director, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates; unceded land of the Lower Tanana Dene, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
“When I had my abortion, even some supporters and legislative champions wouldn’t say the word. To this day, people frequently use euphemisms, as if abortion is merely a concept or a debate topic. Abortion is none of those things. Abortion is health care; abortion is normal; abortion is freedom.”
—LIZ GUSTAFSON (she/her); state director, Pro-Choice Connecticut; WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
“We are already working with our members and partners to ensure that every Ohioan has the resources to obtain a legal abortion in the wake of this unjust, unconscionable ruling. We are coming together to build independent political power against those forcing their objectives on our lives and bodies. And we will continue to fight like hell to reinstate the right to abortion in our state and across the nation.”
—RHIANNON CARNES (she/her); cofounder and co–executive director, Ohio Women’s Alliance and Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund; COLUMBUS, OHIO
“Abortion was already hard to come by in South Carolina, with 46 counties and only three clinics. We’re waiting to see how the work changes based on new laws the state legislature may create. We won’t be going anywhere. We’ll just need to readjust to continue serving folks in new ways and get them the care they deserve.”
—ASHLYN PREAUX (she/her); executive director and cofounder, Palmetto State Abortion Fund; MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA
“As my Granny May says, ‘Life is a mountain railroad.’ I have my down days like anyone else. The more people we engage in the reproductive-justice movement, the more we can take turns on the ups and downs.”
—CRYSTAL GOOD (she/her/hers); reproductive-justice advocate and founder of the storytelling organization Black by God; CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA
“The collapse of Roe is going to cause significant harm, but it was never the ultimate protection. Many were left without access to abortion care even with Roe in place. For abortion allies to come together and really see this larger picture…it’s almost like [the Supreme Court ruling] needed to happen for us to really mobilize. Nobody is going to save us but us.”
—ELOISA LOPEZ (she/ella); executive director, Pro-Choice Arizona and the Abortion Fund of Arizona; PHOENIX, ARIZONA
“We all have a story and stake in this moment. Abortion is merely the Trojan horse being used to dismantle human rights for the whole. Now is the time to #TrustBlackWomen, #TrustBrownWomen, and #TrustQueerFolx. Our liberation is tied to one another’s. We must be strategic and intentional.”
—CHERISSE SCOTT (she/her); CEO and founder, SisterReach; MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
“We were so excited to launch a text line to provide additional support for people seeking abortion care. This has allowed us to be a resource for folks all over the state and serve as a sounding board to help people feel less alone in their abortion journey.”
—KAMYON CONNER (she/her); executive director, Texas Equal Access Fund; DENTON, TEXAS
“When the work gets heavy, I often lean on Afrofuturism and sankofa, a Twi word from Ghana that speaks to the idea of looking back to go forward. I am but one of a long line of folks who have done this work. I’ve learned from abolitionists like Mariame Kaba that organizing is not simply about overcoming oppression, control, violence, and coercion—it is about experimentation in ways of being that actually hold and uplift us. I believe in radical rest and imagination.”
—AYÉ JOHNSON (they/homie); community and volunteer engagement accomplice, Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project; PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA
“Art and storytelling bring inspiration back into the work. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or hopeless—as I have many times over the course of my activism—I write a poem just for me. I reground myself. And then I show up. Some days I take to the streets and march and scream; some days I hold my best friend’s hand and remind them that everything’s going to be okay. Showing up is the most important thing we can do, and it’s flexible and fluid, like we are.”
—SIMRAN SINGH JAIN (she/her/hers); membership coordinator, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective; DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
Reported by Hannah Chubb, Christen A. Johnson, Erin Quinlan, Erika W. Smith, and Caitlin Youngquist
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