we knew that Roe v. Wade was vulnerable. When Tara worked as a clerk on the Supreme Court nearly 18 years ago, it was clear that Roe was their tipping point for the most conservative judges and court clerks. The fury with which it was viewed was palpable, right down to apocryphal tales of clerks who would go to the Supreme Court’s law library every morning just to find volume 410 of the Supreme Court Reporter—the volume containing the Roe decision—on the floor. That was the level of disgust and devotion to overthrow Roe.
As a lawyer (Tara) and political adviser (Hannah), we spent the past week talking to clients and friends about the Dobbs decision – that Roe v. Wade on June 24 – and the only question that comes to anyone’s mind is, “Now what?”
Before we get into reproductive rights and bodily autonomy for all, let’s be clear about two crucial things.
First, this isn’t the last fundamental right that this Court is likely to take away. The Supreme Court’s reasoning that applied to Dobbs, which directly challenges the concept of personal liberty established in the 14th Amendment, could also be applied by this Court to same-sex marriage, interracial marriage, birth control, and other deeply personal decisions. about how we live our private lives. lives. We must be prepared for the very real possibility that the right to choose who we can marry could be similarly revoked, and that access to contraception could be so restricted as abortion†
Second, this court is totally out of step with the American people. A majority of the public believes that decisions about pregnancy are highly personal and should not be made by politicians seeking power and control over women’s bodies. These are the same politicians who elect their own voters and question the legitimate outcome of our elections. The Supreme Court has already gutted the Voting Rights Act and — perhaps most disturbingly of all — just announced it will hear Moore v. Harper, a case in North Carolina that could allow state lawmakers to exercise unprecedented control over federal election rules and congressional realignment, even if their actions violate the state constitution, the will of the people, or the principle of “free and fair elections”. Our democracy is unraveling before our very eyes and the loss of our independent judiciary should frighten us all.
We say this not to instill more fear — or worse, apathy — but to remind our community of artists, activists, global corporations and far-reaching corporations that the fight for reproductive rights, like the fight for our democracy, is a long but essential. Stay with us until we restore the fundamental human right to physical autonomy for every person in this country – a reality we must believe is possible.
Hollywood has taken incredible action in the past week – support for abortion funds and reproductive rights, and justice groups across the country, pledging travel funds for those seeking abortions from other states, and funding pro-choice candidates for political office. Groups such as the Center for Reproduction Rights, Plan C and the National Network Abortion Funds have received the necessary and overdue support and attention. In the face of a national public health crisis, we will need these groups, and many more, to thrive as our society finally sheds light on the broken systems that have brought us here and aligns to form a modern network. of access to abortion.
The candidates for Democratic governor in swing states and states with existing abortion laws on the books most in dispute—particularly Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Kansas, and Georgia—have been exalted as the powerful reproductive rights defenders and custodians that we will need them if they can be elected in November. But a week of action and outcry will bring no long-term change in the face of the unprecedented legal, political and medical chaos that has erupted since Roe was overthrown.
It took nearly 50 years for the anti-choice movement to take away our reproductive rights, and it could take 50 years to get them back. To do that, we need a total paradigm shift.
Here’s how we recommend helping you:
Do everything you can for pro-choice candidates running for any position on the ballot, but especially governors, state legislators, members of Congress, attorneys general, elected judges, and elected prosecutors, especially in states on the abortion battlefield . Elections have consequences and these people have real power over our lives.
Change the story. Hollywood has the power to show people what’s possible, to create hope, to tell new kinds of stories, to provide comfort and care, and to empower people. We have the power to change the paradigm of what is possible and how we get there. We have more power than we know, and we need to use that power now.
When you make a movie or television series, when you write a novel or play, when you create content, you shape our culture. Let’s tell real stories of real people who need, want and have abortions (including those of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies). Let’s tell powerful and uplifting stories of the people – men and women, non-binary and otherwise – whose lives have been transformed or saved by accessing reproductive freedoms. Let’s integrate concepts like ‘Advance Provision’ – abortion pills in your medicine cabinet – and consistent, affordable pregnancy testing for everyone into our storylines. Let’s tell people about the doctors, investors, women-owned telehealth companies, women-led community health organizations, and the inspiring abortion networks willing to go to extremes in the name of health equality. Let’s abide by a new set of rules and destigmatize what is sacred, complex, difficult and wonderful about our reproductive lives.
We hope you will stay with us in this battle for the days, months and decades to come. We hope you continue to believe in and fight for our democracy. We hope you will join us in encouraging those already in power to fight for our rights and our freedom – including codification roe by passing the Women’s Health Protection Act or declaring a national public health emergency. We hope you’ll support pro-choice candidates and work to change the story. Let’s get part 410 off the ground and restore hope for the millions of people whose lives are forever affected by the destruction of the Supreme Court Roe to Wade.
Tara Kole and Hannah Linkenhoker†
Courtesy of Topics/Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole
Tara Kole is a founder of Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole, an entertainment law firm, a Harvard Law School teacher, and a former US Supreme Court clerk. Hannah Linkenhoker is a political strategist and philanthropic advisor who currently serves as Chief Engagement Officer at Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole. Hannah is a co-founder of the LA Women’s Collective, a political action committee dedicated to bringing more women into political power and important elected positions across the country.