On what would have been Roe v. Wade’s 53rd anniversary
53 years ago today, on January 22nd, 1973, protests demanding protection of bodily autonomy pushed the Supreme Court to recognize abortion as a constitutionally protected right.
3 years ago, that ruling was overturned. Today, we’re fighting for even more than the protections from Roe v. Wade. We’re fighting for total Reproductive Justice.
Roe v. Wade was a landmark ruling by the United States Supreme Court which found that the right to have an abortion “to the point of fetal viability” is protected by the Constitution of the United States. The case also found that abortion must be legal in order to protect a patient’s life and health at any point of pregnancy.
In 1973, nearly every state had an abortion ban. Roe made every anti-abortion law in the country unconstitutional.
This was a foundational milestone that had major positive implications for abortion rights and reproductive care for pregnant people in the U.S. And while we recognize Roe was major, it was also limited.
Legality does not mean access, and abortions are often out of reach for low-income folks, people of color, youth, and other marginalized populations.
The language around fetal viability also allowed states to interpret on their own when to impose a ban, whether that be a 20-week, 24-week, or 28-week ban, still imposing restrictions on pregnant people. Total Reproductive Justice calls for pregnant folks to make their own decisions with their providers without barriers to accessible, accurate medical information and care.
Although abortion funds have always existed, since the 2022 Dobbs decision to overturn Roe, abortion funds have experienced a drastic increase in demand for support, with average intake numbers more than tripling nationally! Now, in addition to covering appointment costs at local clinics, abortion funds are also arranging and assisting with out-of-state travel, including flights, gas, hotel, food, pharmacy fees, ride share, and more.
Now that each state carries jurisdiction over what point in pregnancy legal abortions can be provided, Floridians are having to travel over MULTIPLE state lines to access care. Abortion funds are working to absorb the shock that abortion bans impose on our communities. Roe v. Wade, while still limited in its language around fetal viability, offered a national foundation for abortion access that no longer exists. Roe protected us from the deliberate erosion of abortion rights that we’re seeing today in 2026.
In 2022, after Roe was overturned, abortion funds saw a huge wave of rage donations. Many folks felt a deep need to contribute to the movement, and donating is an absolutely much-needed way to do so. But that wave came and went, and after the outrage of the overturn passed, abortion funds were left to meet the needs of thousands of abortion seekers with limited resources. Donations dried out, volunteers stopped supporting, and desensitization to the violence of abortion bans grew.
With this anniversary, many rallies and demonstrations will take place in support of abortion access across the country. We love seeing abortion supporters loud and proud in the streets.
We want folks to be bold and safe as we fight for what we believe, but that boldness must be sustained beyond attending a rally this weekend.
Here’s how you can support abortion access all year round:
Sign up for a monthly donation to your local fund. Donate to FAN here.
Volunteer for your local fund. Sign up for our Feb Digital Organizing Orientation here.
Ask your local fund how you can contribute to their mission.
Don’t live in FL? Find your local fund at https://abortionfunds.org/find-a-fund/
We need committed supporters now more than ever. We’re in this together.
