Responding to Abortion Restrictions

By Rachel Walden — September 26, 2011

Earlier this year, Guttmacher reported that states had enacted a record number of abortion restrictions in the first half of 2011. Indeed, it seems like every week there has been news of yet another restriction , such as the enactment of previously passed laws in Arizona, and a new ban on certain types of later term abortions (so-called “partial birth” abortions) in Michigan.

Yesterday, the New York Times carried an editorial, “Where Abortion Rights Are Disappearing.” It states that “a newly intensified drive by anti-abortion forces who refuse to accept the law of the land has seriously imperiled women’s ability to exercise that right.” It is accompanied by a map representing abortion restrictions around the states.

The piece ends with a call to action:

One clear lesson of this year’s skyrocketing number of new state laws is that those who care about keeping the procedure safe, legal and accessible need to raise their voices as loudly and effectively as those on the other side. If they don’t do so, and quickly, the number of harmful restrictions will continue to balloon, at a rising cost to women’s lives, health and equality.

Has your state been affected by increased restrictions on abortion access? How are you responding?

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