Right after the US Supreme Court announced and overturn abortion rights letting each state to decide whether allow or prohibit a safe pregnancy termination, politicians and even world leaders spoke their minds about the ending of almost 50 years of ruling that guaranteed women their reproduction rights and freedom.
Here are some of the most powerful reactions to the decision that could have a huge impact on women’s rights.
Michelle Obama
The former First Lady released a letter to express her feelings toward the decision. She mentioned how this overturn would impact on the “fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies”.
She also did a reference to how “our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through” the same and now, as a young generation, we have to find the ways to fight it.
Nancy Pelosi
The House speaker called the ruling “outrageous and heart-wrenching” since it is “ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions”.
Hillary Clinton
The Senator said the SCOTUS decision was “infamy” by not letting choosing having a child something between patients and their doctors.
President Joe Biden
President Biden said it was a sad day for the nation because for the Supreme Court decided to strip away American citizens a right that was already protected. He also said that now, the “health and life of women of this nation are now at risk”.
Alexis McGill Johnson
The president of Planned Parenthood Fund tweeted that the decision was a demonstration of power from politicians over women’s bodies, “deciding that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course for our own lives”.
Gloria Steinem
The feminist activist and writer tweeted that banning abortions “does not stop the need for them, it just bans their safety”.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
The democrat Senator highlighted how the banning of safe abortions puts poor and marginalized women at risk.
Barack Obama
President Obama called the banning of abortion an ideological whim that “attacks the essential freedom of millions of Americans” and he called on to support organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the United States of Women which continue to fight for legal and safe abortions.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
The World Health Organization Director-General showed concern for the decision. “I am very disappointed because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights” said to Reuters.
