RALIANCE READING: The Impact of the Dobbs Ruling

It has been one month since the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson that overturned Roe v. Wade. We’ve written before about RALIANCE’s view that bodily autonomy is a fundamental right, and we’ve been reading about the impact the future impact of the Dobbs ruling. Here are four pieces of media cover you shouldn’t miss:

   ∙   4 Experts on How Workplaces Will Respond to the Loss of Roe v. Wade (TIME) – We shared in a previous blog that reproductive rights have a direct impact on all employees’ ability to achieve career success. In this TIME article, four experts further explain those impacts and encourage companies to remain flexible and open-minded. The post-Roe landscape will be ever-changing, so it’s important for employers to keep a pulse on what employees need from their leaders. For a bonus read, The New York Times has been keeping track of responses from major companies.

   ∙   I wouldn’t be a scientist without my abortion (Nature) – “I knew that a pregnancy would hijack a future that I — a first-generation, blue-collar, high-school dropout — had worked hard for,” Palaeoecologist Jacquelyn Gill writes about the day she learned she was pregnant. While Gill’s story is singular to her experience, it’s far from uncommon. As her story illustrates, one in four people who can become pregnant need an abortion; access to one—or not—can change absolutely everything.

   ∙   Slack, Away CEOs Aim to Raise $2 Million for Abortion Funds (Bloomberg) – As many reporters have pointed out, the companies willing to pay for abortion travel are usually already paying their employees quite well. People who really need the support are low-income, young and many are already parents. It’s important for all employers to also consider supporting abortion funds which help increase the likelihood that someone who needs an abortion can afford it. Of course, money won’t solve for the fundamental right that only policy can restore, but it’s helpful for now. For a bonus, read about the challenges of operating an abortion fund in a red state, The Challenging Road Ahead for Abortion Funds.

   ∙   The Pink House at the Center of the World (This American Life) – This episode of the popular podcast gives listeners an exclusive look inside Jackson Women’s Health Organization—the plaintiff of Dobbs v. Jackson—on the very day the ruling was handed down. Although the staff cry and console one another away from their desperate and frightened patients, they spend their last day in operation serving as many people as they can and redirecting others before they’re closed for good.

   ∙   For scientists, Roe’s end raises concerns about personal safety and professional choices (Science) – The end of Roe v. Wade possibly spells a potential transformation of the scientific and medical community—in the worst ways. In this article, scientists share their fears about continuing to work in the field. This article also covers the ways access to studying science will decrease for marginalized communities and how science research that will benefit everyone may become extremely limited to only half of the country.

The past thirty days have been filled with confusion and insecurity—but these days have also been marked by fire and optimism; employers, policymakers and neighbors who believe in bodily autonomy have pooled resources and found strategic workarounds to help people who need reproductive care. RALIANCE and our partners will continue to support people who need abortions and help employers support them too.

RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.