July 24, 2022
The Impact of the Overturn of Roe v. Wade on Black Communities
Alexa Guarente '25
On June 24th, 2022 at 10:20 am, the Supreme Court of the United States passed a ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson, overturning Roe v. Wade and stripping Americans of their constitutional right to safe, legal abortion. While this is devastating for reproductive healthcare across the board, this decision will disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
Let's talk about what this means for Black people. As they stand, abortion bans are racist. Here are some of the reasons why:
Abortion in Black Populations
As we know, Black communities have some of the highest rates of abortion, and this is for multidimensional reasons. Socioeconomic factors are some of the most common reasons for abortion. Poverty, unemployment, and financial stability deeply impact the decision to carry a fetus to term and put a baby into this world. As we also know, Black communities face disadvantages when it comes to these very factors being considered, coming from a history of racist systems. That being said, banning abortion will impact Black communities more than white communities. White women have the lowest rate of abortion compared to other races (6.6%), and for black women, it is almost four times greater. Restricting abortion is a direct attack on reproductive healthcare for Black people.
Abortion Bans in Black Populations
While some states have protections in place for abortion, 26 states are certain to ban/restrict abortion or already have abortion bans in effect. Most of these states are states with large Black populations — most in the South.
Let's look at the top ten states with the largest black population: Florida, Texas, New York, Georgia, California, North Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio. These states make up about 50% of the Black population in America. Of these states, half have banned or restricted abortion.
This goes to show how areas with Black demographics are being directly impacted by the overturning of Roe, more so than whiter states. We are seeing the legislature target black communities with these bans. We quite literally heard Illinois representative Mary Miller refer to the fall of Roe v. Wade as a “historic victory for white life.”
Reproductive slavery
Slave breeding in the US refers to the historical practice of forced reproduction of enslaved people to increase the slave population and profits. Reproductive slavery is the modern idea that Black people are without equal reproductive rights, primarily abortion. Being forced to carry a fetus to term without access to safe legal abortion is an example of reproductive slavery. Abortion bans are returning us to the racist historical ideals that create unsafe compulsory pregnancies for Black people.
Black people have fought for bodily autonomy for decades, now it feels like we’re losing it all over again.
Racist reproductive healthcare systems
There's no doubt reproductive and obstetric healthcare systems are racist. The CDC says that Black women are three times more likely to die during or after childbirth compared to white women and rates are expected to rise with limited access to abortion care. Reproductive health disparities stem from structural racism, little access to adequate healthcare, racist and biased ways of doctoring, historical practices of slave breeding, and historical notions of obstetric and bodily hardiness.
All of these factors contribute to systemic racism in reproductive healthcare systems, leading to Black women in the US having some of the highest rates of maternal mortality, infant mortality, and unintended pregnancy. Those factors ultimately lead to Black women having high rates of abortion. Our abortion rates are a direct result of a racist system. By banning abortion, the government is actively perpetuating these exact racist ideals.
Self-care
It's clear that abortion bans are racist. Hearing about blatantly racist ideals in modern practice, losing a constitutional right, and not being able to act individually and do anything about it is mentally fatiguing. It is important to take care of ourselves as we deal with the devastation of racist abortion bans.
So what can we do? The monumental overturn of Roe v. Wade has certainly impacted my mental well-being. This overturns targets my intersectionality. I feel sad, angry, confused, motivated, and more than anything, hopeless. Here is how I’ve been taking care of myself during this turbulent time.
Take social media breaks. Personally, scrolling through Instagram and TikTok and seeing nothing but content about the overturn breaks my heart. It leaves me feeling tired and downhearted. Social media breaks are necessary to go about my day without thinking about my anger toward the government and the effects the SCOTUS decision will have on POC.
Talking about it. Sitting down and having a good conversation with my mom, a friend, or a therapist about how the whole situation makes me feel has worked wonders. Getting some of the devastation, anger, and sadness off my chest has allowed me to remember I’m not alone in this fight. Other people feel the same way I do, remembering that has been important. I’ve found sameness when talking about how I feel and even learned something in these powerful conversations. Reach out to parents, friends, or professionals to have these conversations. It’s important to remember we’re in this together. For resources or someone to talk to click here.
Get Involved. If you're feeling all the strong emotions I am, taking action can significantly improve feelings of despair and hopelessness surrounding the fall of Roe v. Wade. Getting involved is a way of staying motivated and reclaiming your power. Grab a friend and go to your nearest abortion rally or visibility, show your support on social media, and support reproductive justice organizations such as Planned Parenthood, SisterSong, and ACLU. For ways to help, check out this article from Planned Parenthood. Check out Brown’s chapter of Planned Parenthood Generation Action to get involved and find events in the Brown community.
Stay Educated. During these trying times, the most important thing to do is stay educated. Fact check what you see and read. Stay informed and up to date on what is happening with abortion and reproductive rights nationally and in your area. SisterSong is a reproductive justice organization created by and for women of color. I highly recommend looking to them for information on how to overcome racist power systems to achieve reproductive justice. The National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda is another resource to stay up to date on what's happening in reproductive justice for Black Women.
For more information, check out these articles