For over 30 years, the Center for Reproductive Rights has used the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.
UPDATE: After a week of legal whiplash and threats of prosecution from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, our client Kate Cox has been forced to flee her home state of Texas to get the time-sensitive abortion care needed to protect her health and future fertility.
BREAKING: Late tonight, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted a lower court ruling that would have allowed Kate Cox, our plaintiff with severe pregnancy complications, to have an abortion to protect her health and future fertility.
“We are talking about urgent medical care. Kate is already 20 weeks pregnant. This is why people should not need to beg for healthcare in a court of law.” -Molly Duane, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights
BREAKING: The Fifth Circuit just DENIED Mississippi’s request to rehear our case challenging the state’s 15-week abortion ban. We defeated the ban for the second time in court in December. 🎉🎉
No one should have to beg a court for permission to receive the medical care their doctors recommend.
If you agree, get off the sidelines and get involved in the fight for reproductive rights today⬇️
“This past week of legal limbo has been hellish for Kate. Her health is on the line. She’s been in and out of the emergency room and she couldn’t wait any longer. This is why judges and politicians should not be making healthcare decisions for pregnant people." -Nancy Northup
While our client Kate is enduring an active medical crisis, the State of Texas is using her health care as a political football. Texas's actions are intolerable, and the American people see them for what they are: unconscionable human rights violations.
It is unacceptable that in 2023, people should have to fear persecution by their own government simply for accessing the health care their doctors say they need. The truth is: any one of us could be Kate. Every one of us should be outraged.
#BREAKING
: HUGE NEWS! 🎉🎉🎉
The judge in our Zurawski v. Texas case has ruled IN FAVOR of our plaintiffs, BLOCKING Texas' abortion bans as they apply to dangerous pregnancy complications including fatal fetal diagnoses.
We should not even have to say this, but here we are: The uterus is an ORGAN.
Our right to emergency care does not only extend to SOME OF OUR ORGANS.
Like....???????????
“While we still hope that the Court ultimately rejects the state’s request and does so quickly, in this case we fear that justice delayed will be justice denied.” -Molly Duane, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights
Last week, Kate received confirmation that her fetus has a lethal condition—Trisomy 18—and has no chance of survival. Due to Kate’s medical history, her OB-GYNs warned her that continuing to carry the pregnancy could jeopardize her health and future fertility.
"This is the result of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade: women are forced to beg for urgent healthcare in court. Kate's case has shown the world that abortion bans are dangerous for pregnant people, and exceptions don’t work." -Nancy Northup
🚨🚨BREAKING: A federal judge just struck down Mississippi’s 6 week abortion ban!!
Once again the rule of law has prevailed over political ploys to control personal health decisions. We’ll fight tooth and nail to make sure all of these bans meet the same fate.
"Kate desperately wanted to be able to get care where she lives and recover at home surrounded by family. While Kate had the ability to leave the state, most people do not, and a situation like this could be a death sentence.” -Nancy Northup,
@ReproRights
President & CEO
Yesterday, a state court ruled in Kate's favor, but within hours, TX AG Ken Paxton asked the TX Supreme Court to block the order & stop Kate from having an abortion. Paxton also issued a letter threatening to prosecute any doctor who gave Kate an abortion, despite the court order
BREAKING: We just won our case challenging Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban!
Mississippi is one of nine states that passed abortion bans this year. The ban struck down today is the first of the recent bans to reach a federal appellate court.
Kate has been unable to get an abortion in Texas, even though her fetus has a fatal condition and continuing the pregnancy threatens her future fertility. Last week, a state court ruled in Kate's favor, but within hours, TX AG Paxton asked SCOTX to block the order immediately.
The Center for Reproductive Rights is dedicated to helping all people access abortion in their communities, including people denied care while facing pregnancy complications. If you've been denied care and want to speak to a lawyer about your options, email intake
@reprorights
.org
BREAKING: Iceland's new, liberalized abortion law has gone into effect! 🎉🎉
Women are now able to access abortion on request up to 22 weeks of pregnancy and minors are no longer obligated to obtain parental or guardian consent.
We've been blown away by the outpouring of support for our incredible, brave plaintiff Kate Cox. In sharing her story, Kate showed the world that abortion is health care, and exposed the truth about Texas’s “medical exceptions” policy: it doesn’t work, and it was never meant to.
It has been almost a week since we requested an emergency abortion for our client Kate Cox, due to dangerous obstetric complications. Kate still hasn't received an answer from the Texas Supreme Court about whether she'll be allowed to get the care she urgently needs.
"I am many things. I am a wife, mother, a professional actor for many years. And I am also the 1 in 4 women in this country who have had an abortion." -
@BusyPhilipps
testifying at
@senjudiciary
hearing.
#StopTheBans
#YouKnowMe
#BREAKING
: In a highly unprecedented move, an appeals court blocked a lower court's injunction on a six-week abortion ban in Georgia. This means the state’s six-week ban takes effect today, pushing abortion out of reach for Georgians before many even know they’re pregnant.
Abortion is safer than getting your wisdom teeth removed. Laws restricting abortion care are not about women's health, they're about controlling our bodies.
🔔WE ARE IN TEXAS STATE COURT RIGHT NOW representing 13 Texan women denied abortions despite serious pregnancy complications.
👉Follow this thread as we share live updates from Zurawski v. State of Texas, a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights.
🚨🚨BREAKING: A judge just granted our request to block Georgia's 6-week abortion ban!
Georgia is one of five states to pass a 6-week abortion ban this year. All of them are facing legal challenges.👊
63% of women in the U.S. say birth control has empowered them to take better care of themselves or their families.
51% say it has allowed them to complete their education. But under Trump's
#TitleX
changes, many low-income Americans will lose access to affordable birth control.
BREAKING: The US Supreme Court says it will hear a case that could eliminate access to mifepristone—one of two drugs used in medication abortion. The case was filed by an anti-abortion group seeking to undo FDA approval of the drug and remove it from the market nationwide.
🚨🚨BREAKING: The Maine legislature and governor just lifted the Hyde Amendment so that MaineCare insurance can include abortion coverage!
#BeBoldEndHyde
BREAKING: We just won our case challenging Mississippi’s 6-week abortion ban at the Fifth Circuit.
We already blocked the state’s 15-week ban, and this 6-week ban is an even more extreme attempt to take away the rights of Mississippi residents. Not on our watch.
BREAKING: Today, four more women came forward to join our lawsuit against the state of Tennessee, asking the court to clarify the scope of the medical necessity exception to Tennessee’s abortion ban.
99.9% of medication abortions are complication-free, making it safer than Tylenol, Asprin, and Viagra. Laws that restrict abortion under the guise of "health" and "safety" are a sham.
Since
#BlackWomen
is trending, we'd like remind everyone that Black women face higher risks of pregnancy complications and maternal mortality. We can't just support Black women on Twitter; we must fight to provide all Black women with proper reproductive care.
No human being should have to endure what Kate and her family suffered this week. The State of Texas must answer for its abhorrent treatment of its own citizens. We will not forget.
📢 📢 ATTN: Abortion in Georgia is still legal! Spread the word and share this post so Georgia women know they can still receive care.
The 6-week ban doesn’t take effect until 2020 and we will sue to block it before it does.
HUGE NEWS: Advocates in Florida have successfully gotten the number of signatures needed to put a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the ballot in November — AND in record time!
Under North Dakota law, doctors must tell patients seeking abortion care that abortion terminates "the life of a whole, separate unique, living human being." This is ideological rhetoric, not medical information. We're suing to protect doctors' free speech.
Politicians like to pretend that abortion bans with "medical exceptions" are reasonable, safe, and humane. This week, Americans had a front row seat to a case that proves the exact opposite.
BREAKING: Rep. Ayanna Pressley filed an amendment to remove Hyde from the federal spending bill.
Hyde blocks too many people, mainly low-income, Black, Brown, LGBTQ folks from getting abortion care. Thank you Rep.
@AyannaPressley
for being in our corner.
#BeBoldEndHyde
BREAKING: The Supreme Court just struck down Louisiana’s clinic shutdown law. This ruling allows the state’s three clinics to remain open to continue to provide abortion care for the people of Louisiana.
#MyRightMyDecision
BREAKING: We just sued the state of Georgia to block its blatantly unconstitutional ban on abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy.
These bans have always been blocked by the courts, and we'll make sure this one is too.
Outrageous: To add insult to injury, Texas is claiming that Amanda Zurawski doesn't have grounds to sue because her fertility has been compromised as a result of being denied an abortion and now she doesn't have to worry about the bans because she might not get pregnant again.
BREAKING: WE WIN!! After a 4-yr-long fight, the High Court of Kenya just issued a groundbreaking ruling declaring that the constitutional rights of Kenyan women and girls were blatantly violated by the unlawful withdrawal of the Standard and Guidelines on safe abortion in Kenya!
It is unconscionable that the State of Texas is preventing our client from accessing the health care her doctors say she desperately needs. This fight is not over. We will not back down.
The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court’s ruling and is preventing 31-year-old Kate Cox from obtaining an abortion. Doctors told her that her fetus has a rare disorder and could be stillborn, putting her health at risk.
@LauraAJarrett
reports.
No one should have to beg a court for permission to receive the medical care their doctors recommend.
If you agree, we need you in this fight. Get involved with literally two clicks:
BREAKING: Late tonight, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted a lower court ruling that would have allowed Kate Cox, our plaintiff with severe pregnancy complications, to have an abortion to protect her health and future fertility.
Thank you
@BusyPhilipps
for sharing your abortion story on
#BusyTonight
and for speaking out against laws like the near total ban on abortion signed in Georgia today. One in four women will have an abortion during her lifetime--it's time to stop the stigma.
Someone you love has had an abortion.
Someone you love will need an abortion.
Everyone deserves access to the health care that's right for them without judgement or punishment.
If you or someone you love has ever been pregnant, you probably know that complications can arise out of nowhere and rapidly become deadly. In those frightening moments, we count on health care providers—not state bureaucrats—to guide us. Politicians do not belong in health care.
Because of
#Texas
‘
#abortionban
, Kate Cox has to fight in court to terminate her pregnancy, even though the fetus was given a fatal diagnosis. Kate is now 20 weeks pregnant.
MAJOR: This morning, a judge granted our request to allow our plaintiff, Kate Cox, emergency relief to access abortion care in Texas to protect her health, life, and future fertility.
UPDATE:
#Louisiana
's trigger bans have been BLOCKED by a state court in response to our lawsuit filed earlier today. Abortion care is resuming in Louisiana.
#AbortionIsEssential
#LOUISIANA
: The Center has filed for emergency relief from Louisiana’s so-called “trigger laws” on behalf of abortion providers in the state. The trigger laws were immediately effective upon
#Roe
’s reversal, criminalizing all abortion in the state.
BREAKING: Idaho court rejected the state’s attempt to throw out our case brought by women denied abortions. Our case seeking to expand the medical exceptions in Idaho’s abortion bans will proceed despite the state’s attempt to dismiss the case.
MORE BREAKING NEWS: We just won our case challenging Georgia's 6 week abortion ban!
The ban was in clear violation of
#RoevWade
and nearly a half century of Supreme Court precedent. Today, the rule of law prevailed once again, and abortion remains legal in all 50 states.
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
Abortion is a human right
It’s time ALL of our lawmakers start acting like it.
BREAKING NEWS: In a groundbreaking and historic win for women and reproductive rights, Ireland has voted to repeal its constitutional ban on abortion.
#RepealedTheEighth
🚨🚨BREAKING: We're heading to the Supreme Court!
#SCOTUS
just announced that it will hear our case challenging Louisiana's admitting privileges law which, if allowed to take effect, would leave just one doctor to provide abortion care to the whole state.
Our President and CEO Nancy Northup was on
@maddow
last night to explain why, for the first time in our history, we are opposing a SCOTUS nominee. Tune in here:
#StopKanavaugh
⚠️⚠️⚠️
#BREAKING
: The Center for Reproductive Rights is filing an emergency lawsuit on behalf of a pregnant woman in Texas, Kate Cox, who needs urgent abortion care due to a lethal fetal diagnosis and threats to her life, health, and fertility from continuing the pregnancy.
BREAKING:
@SenSchumer
just announced that the U.S. Senate will be taking another vote on
#WHPA
on Wednesday 5/11. For the first time in history, the Supreme Court could be on the verge of taking away a fundamental right. Congress can and MUST act to protect abortion access.
1 in 4 women in the U.S. will have an abortion by age 45. That means almost everyone in the U.S. knows someone who has had, or will have, an abortion, including the lawmakers trying to ban it outright.
If you've been following this outrageous case, it's time to get off the sidelines and join the movement for reproductive rights. We need you and your voice in this fight now more than ever. Get involved with just two clicks ⬇️
UPDATE: After a week of legal whiplash and threats of prosecution from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, our client Kate Cox has been forced to flee her home state of Texas to get the time-sensitive abortion care needed to protect her health and future fertility.
BREAKING: Great news! The Kansas Supreme Court just ruled that the right to abortion is guaranteed under the state constitution! This historic decision reaffirms what we already know: attempts to undermine abortion access are unconstitutional.
BREAKING NEWS! The Oklahoma Supreme Court just permanently blocked a law restricting access to medication abortion!
We've been working on this case for nearly 5 years, and today we've won!
@OKRepro
BREAKING: Virginia General Assembly just passed the Reproductive Health Protection Act, which will expand access to abortion care by repealing medically unnecessary restrictions that have made it difficult for Virginians to access safe and legal abortion care for years. 👏👏
Kate's case has proven that politicians and judges are not a functional stand-in for medical experts, and abortion bans with medical exceptions DO NOT WORK.
#BREAKING
: A Kansas state court has blocked a law that prohibited doctors from providing medication abortion via telemedicine.
This decision paves the way for Kansas abortion clinics to expand services to people in remote, underserved areas of the state.
JUST IN: Moments ago, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that a ban on Medicaid funding for abortion care is unconstitutional. We’ve been working on this case with
@PPGNHI
, &
@ACLUofAlaska
since 2014, and now we’ve won!
Imagine this: a woman misses her period and goes to the doctor, who tells her she's 6 weeks pregnant. She knows abortion is the right choice for her.
Under the law Mississippi Governor
@PhilBryantMS
just signed, it will be illegal for her to get one.
We'll be suing.
After Texas’s extreme abortion ban traumatized—and in some cases nearly killed—13 Texas women, they decided they couldn't stay silent. Now they’re reclaiming their power as plaintiffs in our lawsuit against the state over the harm they endured under the state’s draconian bans.
🚨HAPPENING NOW: We are rallying for EVERY person's right to access abortions outside the U.S. Supreme Court.
Follow along as lawmakers, advocates, and storytellers share why
#AbortionIsEssential
.
#BREAKING
: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (
@SenSchumer
) announced that the Senate will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act (
#WHPA
) on February 28. 👏
#WHPA
is federal legislation that would protect the right to abortion.
#ActForAbortionAccess