A Letter to the Supreme Court

CW: rape

Angry. Disappointed. Heartbroken. Devastated. Terrified. These are just a few of the emotions that I and many folks across the nation felt on June 24th as the decision of overturning Roe v. Wade was released.

To the Supreme Court members who voted to push this through: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Amy Coney Barrett – who do you think you are? Do you think you know what’s best for the Black, Brown, Trans, Non-Binary, and marginalized groups of humans who will be disproportionately affected by this? Do you think you know what’s best for the low-income people in conservative states who cannot afford to bear children they didn’t plan for? Do you think you know what’s best for the rape victims that are now facing a traumatizing and unwanted pregnancy? 

The answer is no.

No, you do not. If you did, you would not have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

BBC states that 75% of women who reported having an abortion were low-income. How is banning this already difficult-to-access procedure going to help those people? What about the unreported abortions – from Trans, Non-Binary, and Immigrant communities to name a few – how are you helping any of them? This is not just an issue for people who can get pregnant. It’s an issue across all genders, races, and socioeconomic statuses. If you think that this doesn’t affect you, think again.

BBC wrote that “structural inequities – including living on low incomes and limited access to health insurance – all contribute to the higher rates of abortions among people of colour.” Instead of banning something that should be part of our healthcare, how about you focus on changing the unjust & patriarchal systems that built this oppressive nation? Oh, wait. That’s because you all are continuing to benefit from that system. I thought that as members of the Supreme Court you’d be able to acknowledge that privilege and do better for the folks that can’t afford themselves those privileges. I was wrong.

What is the point of the Supreme Court? “As the final arbiter of the law, the Court is charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law and, thereby, also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution”.

“Equal justice under law”. You failed. The goal of the Supreme Court is to “[ensure] the American people the promise of equal justice”. We are the absolute furthest from “equal justice” in today’s America. 

And now people are worried. They are worried about their access to contraception being taken away. They are worried about their right to same-sex marriage. How is any of this promoting “equal justice”? You have unequivocally failed at your job. There is no room for interpretation – you failed.

Banning abortions will not stop abortion. They will not. NPR clearly states, “we know for a fact that banning abortion does not mean fewer abortions and that when abortion bans are enacted, women and pregnant people die, as we have seen across the globe”. 

There will not be fewer abortions. There will just be more unsafe ones. You made a choice that was actively against the best interest of the American people. 

Your reckless decision will continue to harm communities that need the most support. Thanks for nothing SCOTUS. 

For Further Reading & Ways to Support:

Are We Seriously Still Protesting This? – Organizations, Resources, and Book Lists: https://www.feministbookclub.com/are-we-seriously-still-protesting-this-organizations-resources-and-book-lists/

Six Ways You Can Join the Fight for Abortion Rights: https://www.aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/six-ways-join-fight-for-abortion-rights-roe-v-wade

Donate Here: https://abortionfunds.org/

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/06/24/1107370547/global-reproductive-and-womens-rights-groups-react-to-overturn-of-roe-v-wade

https://www.bbc.com/news/59583311

https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/about.aspx#:~:text=As%20the%20final%20arbiter%20of,and%20interpreter%20of%20the%20Constitution

Yasi Agah

Yasi Agah websiteYasi Agah LinkedinYasi Agah Instagram

Yasi Agah is a born and raised Californian living out her dreams in New York City. She loves to read, write, listen to podcasts, and teach yoga. Becoming by Michelle Obama makes her cry every time she reads it.