Battling Alabama And Georgia Abortion Laws: Strategies And Action

In 2019, Georgia and Alabama passed restrictive abortion laws, banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. In 2024, a Georgia judge struck down the state's abortion law, declaring it unconstitutional and violating the state constitution. The ruling means abortions up to 22 weeks of pregnancy are once again allowed in Georgia. The state plans to appeal the decision. This ruling could have implications beyond Georgia, potentially increasing access to abortion in the US South. Those opposed to the decision have criticised the judge's ruling, while abortion rights activists have welcomed it as a step in the right direction.

Donate to local, grassroots organisations

In the face of restrictive abortion laws in Georgia and Alabama, one way to fight back is to donate to local, grassroots organisations. Here are some organisations to consider:

Access Reproductive Care - Southeast (ARC)

A volunteer organisation that helps families in 12 states across the southeast access reproductive care.

National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF)

A network of nearly 100 abortion funds, working at the intersection of racial, economic, and reproductive justice. They seek to eliminate economic barriers for low-income individuals seeking an abortion.

The Yellowhammer Fund

Based in Alabama, Yellowhammer provides funding for abortions and helps with other barriers to access, such as travel or lodging. They are part of the NNAF.

Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund

Run entirely by volunteers, this fund helps people access abortion and provides support and resources to parents.

Women Have Options

An Ohio-based organisation that provides financial assistance and support to low-income patients seeking reproductive care, including abortions.

National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF)

A multi-issue community-organising and policy advocacy organisation fighting for policy changes to benefit women, transgender, and non-binary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Gateway Women's Access Fund

Based in Missouri, Gateway provides educational and financial support to people who cannot afford the full cost of an abortion.

National Black Women's Reproductive Agenda

This organisation specifically assists Black women, who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and face a greater gender-based wage gap than their white counterparts, in accessing abortion and reproductive care. They work in eight states, including Georgia, and are active in lobbying, community outreach, and education for reproductive rights and women's health.

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice

This organisation educates Latinx communities about abortion access and reproductive justice and ensures that all people have access to safe contraception and abortions, regardless of socioeconomic status, immigration status, race, and linguistic ability.

NARAL Pro-Choice America

NARAL fights not only for abortion rights but also for access to birth control and paid family leave, and against pregnancy discrimination for female professionals. They also combat online disinformation and expose fake abortion clinics.

National Abortion Federation

The National Abortion Federation connects patients, providers, researchers, and advocates to provide safe, easily accessible, and affordable abortions. They also have a hotline for those urgently in need of information or support.

Center for Reproductive Rights

The Center for Reproductive Rights works across five countries to protect women's bodies and defend their access to safe abortions. They also support obstetrics care, maternal and natal care, and fight against forced sterilisation and child marriage.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)

RAINN provides counselling, medical services, and psychosocial support to survivors of rape, incest, and domestic violence, many of whom need abortion services. They have a 24/7 confidential hotline and a chat service.

Guttmacher Institute

A former subsidiary of Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion access in the U.S. through research, evidence-based advocacy, and strategic communications.

National Women's Law Center (NWLC)

The NWLC works to support access to abortion across America through legislation, media outreach, and litigation.

Planned Parenthood and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Planned Parenthood provides various services, including cancer and COVID-19 screenings, contraception access, health and natal support, sexual assault support, and counselling regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund specifically supports all of Planned Parenthood's activities and promotes reproductive health across America.

Volunteer as a clinic escort

Volunteering as a clinic escort is a tangible way to support abortion rights. In this role, you will accompany women seeking abortions from their mode of transportation to the clinic, creating a barrier between them and any anti-abortion protestors.

To become a clinic escort, first, find your local clinics by visiting the websites of the National Abortion Federation and Abortion Care Network, which have maps of all abortion-providing clinics in each state. Once you've decided on a clinic, reach out to inquire about their needs.

Alternatively, you can join Planned Parenthood's broader Clinic Defender program, which aims to bring national attention to local fights and empower local organizers and activists.

"We can usually spot them: They'll look lost, or it'll be a young woman with a partner. That's our cue. We say hi and offer to walk them across the street, to create a barrier between them and any protestors."

"I don't think people really understand what escorting looks like in a state with only one abortion clinic. We draw a lot of protestors, usually 50 to 60 people outside whenever the clinic is open, from Tuesday through Saturday. There are only about 20 escorts each day, so we're outnumbered. It can get really hostile—they’re definitely more emboldened now."

"Unlike Planned Parenthoods, which have private parking lots, our clinic was on the upper level of a strip-mall-type area with a public parking lot. A lot of times, we didn't know where the protestors were legally allowed to be, and so they’d get really close to the patients, even sometimes riding up in the elevator with them. The escorts had bright yellow shirts because we wanted to be as visible as possible."

Speak out about the potential repercussions of extreme abortion bans

Speaking Out Against Extreme Abortion Bans

Speaking out about the potential repercussions of extreme abortion bans is a powerful way to advocate for reproductive justice and challenge social stigma. It is essential to address the harmful effects of these bans and how they infringe upon fundamental human rights.

Firstly, extreme abortion bans, such as those seen in Alabama and Georgia, directly threaten the bodily autonomy and reproductive rights of individuals, particularly women, girls, and people who can become pregnant. These bans restrict their ability to make personal medical decisions and control their own bodies, futures, and lives. The criminalization of abortion does not stop abortions from happening but instead pushes them underground, making them unsafe and putting individuals at risk of fatal consequences. In places with restrictive abortion laws, unsafe abortions are often the only option, leading to maternal deaths, disabilities, and other serious health complications.

Secondly, abortion bans disproportionately harm marginalized communities, including people of color, those from low-income backgrounds, refugees, migrants, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and racialized and Indigenous people. These communities already face systemic barriers to healthcare, and abortion bans only serve to exacerbate existing inequalities and limit their access to safe and legal abortions. The impact of these bans falls heaviest on those who cannot afford to travel to another state or country to receive care or access private abortion services.

Additionally, abortion bans often fail to consider the unique needs of LGBTIQ+ individuals, who may face intersectional discrimination and stigma when seeking abortions. For example, transgender and gender non-conforming people are more likely to experience harassment in medical settings and be refused treatment due to their gender identity.

Moreover, abortion bans can have devastating consequences for individuals whose pregnancies pose a risk to their health or whose fetuses have severe anomalies. Without access to safe and legal abortions, these individuals may be forced to continue with pregnancies that endanger their lives or the viability of the fetus. This can result in tragic outcomes for both the pregnant individual and the fetus.

Finally, speaking out against extreme abortion bans is crucial to countering the narrative pushed by anti-abortion activists and politicians. By sharing stories and personal experiences, individuals can humanize the impact of these bans and demonstrate the very real harm they cause to families and communities. It is important to emphasize that abortion bans are not just about abortion but about freedom, power, and the fundamental rights of individuals to make choices about their own bodies.

By speaking out, individuals can challenge the stigma surrounding abortion, educate those who may not fully grasp the repercussions of these laws, and build a stronger movement for reproductive justice.

Understand the history of abortion laws in Georgia and Alabama

Abortion laws in the United States have been a contentious issue for decades, with states like Georgia and Alabama enacting strict regulations and laws that limit access to abortion services. Understanding the history of abortion laws in these two states provides insight into the ongoing debate surrounding reproductive rights.

Alabama

Historically, Alabama's abortion laws have been among the most restrictive in the nation. Even before the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide, Alabama had strict regulations in place. While other states liberalized their laws following the Roe v. Wade ruling, Alabama consistently enacted legislation to restrict abortion access.

In 2019, Alabama passed one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws, the Human Life Protection Act, which banned most abortions at any stage of pregnancy, with limited exceptions. This law was granted an injunction until 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing Alabama's law to take effect. As of 2022, Alabama's remaining abortion clinics have been ordered to stop all abortion procedures.

Alabama's abortion regulations include mandatory waiting periods, parental consent requirements for minors, and stringent guidelines for abortion clinics. The state also has an explicit ban on abortion funding in its constitution. The state has a history of prosecuting women for abortions, with 40 prosecutions and five convictions between 1892 and 1935.

Georgia

Georgia's abortion laws have also undergone significant changes over the years. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the state reformed its abortion laws, providing more detailed medical guidance on when therapeutic abortions could be performed. However, Georgia's law still required a woman to seek permission from three physicians before obtaining an abortion, which was later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1973.

In 2019, Georgia passed the "fetal heartbeat" law, or the LIFE Act, which prohibited abortions once cardiac activity was detected, which is typically around the six-week mark of pregnancy. This law was also blocked by a federal court due to its conflict with Roe v. Wade. However, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, a federal appeals court allowed Georgia's "heartbeat law" to take effect.

Georgia's abortion law includes exceptions for medical emergencies, pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, and medically futile pregnancies. The law also allows for procedures to remove a deceased fetus or in cases of ectopic pregnancy. The state has faced ongoing legal challenges regarding the constitutionality of the LIFE Act, with a superior court recently ruling parts of the law unconstitutional.

Ongoing Debate

The history of abortion laws in Georgia and Alabama highlights the divisive nature of the issue. While some states have enacted strict abortion bans, others have provided protections for those choosing abortion up to the point of fetal viability. The ongoing legal and political debates surrounding abortion laws in these states reflect the complex and evolving nature of reproductive rights in the United States.

Know the current status of abortion laws in both states

Abortion laws vary from state to state in the US. As of 2024, abortion in Georgia is illegal after the detection of embryonic cardiac-cell activity, which typically begins in the fifth or sixth week after the onset of the last menstrual period. This law was ruled unconstitutional by a Georgia superior court judge on 30 September 2024, but it remains in effect while the state appeals the ruling.

In 2022, Georgia's abortion law was a six-week abortion ban, which came into force on 20 July 2022, after the US Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling. This law made no exception for cases of rape or incest and mandated a penalty of prison for doctors who perform the procedure.

On the other hand, Alabama is enforcing a total abortion ban, prohibiting abortion at all stages of pregnancy. This ban came into effect on 24 June 2022, after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Alabama's abortion ban also has no exceptions for rape and incest, and the only exemption is if the pregnant person's health is seriously threatened.

Alabama retains gestational bans at 20 weeks post-fertilisation and at viability. The state also prohibits D&X and D&E procedures and requires pregnant people to undergo a mandatory 48-hour waiting period, counselling, and an ultrasound. Additionally, Alabama prohibits public funding and private insurance coverage of abortion.

Frequently asked questions