Roe v. Wade Overturned: Resource Guide

Written By Jeremy Gotwals

On Friday, June 24th, 2022, The Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that protected the right to receive an abortion. This ruling goes against 50 years of Supreme Court precedent, which has upheld Roe v. Wade, particularly the 1992 case of Casy v. Planned Parenthood. 

In light of this decision, at least 25 states are expected to implement more restrictive laws surrounding abortion access, or outlaw abortion completely. States in which abortion is protected are likely to face significant strain on their resources as people cross state lines seeking abortions. 

If you are like us, this news—while expected—is still extraordinarily painful. You may be feeling confused, shocked, hurt, disillusioned, or all of these things all at the same time. Maybe you are fired up and ready to take to the streets, maybe it all feels like just too much. Wherever you are, and however you are feeling, below is a comprehensive guide to how you can take action, support important causes, or seek an abortion should you find yourself in need of one. 

What Can You Do? You Can Protest!

Know Your Rights

In the coming weeks, it is likely people will continue to protest the Supreme Court’s ruling. Understanding your Constitutional right to protest and how protest laws play out in your state are some of the best ways you can protect yourself. 

You Can Donate!

Reproductive Justice Organizations

We highly encourage you to use the resources listed here to find local causes to donate to so you can have the greatest impact on your community.

Abortion Funds

Abortion Clinics***

You Can Volunteer!

Pro-choice networks need your support now more than ever. There is a multitude of ways you can volunteer your time to support both those seeking abortions and the organizations on the front lines.

You Can Stay Informed!

Abortion Pill Access

Free Legal Advice

Important Info

  • Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org

  • NARAL Pro-Choice America: https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/reports-fact-sheets/

    • NARAL is the longest-running national abortion advocacy group in the United States. NARAL lobbies to expand abortion and birth control access, fight for parental leave, and prevent discrimination due to pregnancy. Their site has fact sheets, information about congressional track records, and breakdowns of laws in each state.

  • The United States of Women: https://usow.org/repro/volunteer/

  • Guttmacher Institute Abortion Policies and Access Map: https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/

  • National Abortion Federation: https://prochoice.org

  • National Advocates for Pregnant Women: https://www.nationaladvocatesforpregnantwomen.org

  • ***Expose Fake Clinics: https://www.exposefakeclinics.com

    • Fake clinics by state: https://www.exposefakeclinics.com/list-of-states

      • A Warning about Fake Abortion Clinics from AbortionFunds.org:

        • When seeking an abortion, it is incredibly important to be mindful of where you seek support. There are some institutions that promote themselves as clinics, but don’t actually perform abortions. These “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” are often listed in phone books under Abortion or Abortion Alternatives. They also show up when you do Internet searches for “abortion.” They often will offer free pregnancy tests or ultrasounds. It is important to note that the people who perform these services are not doctors. Many of these organizations are anti-abortion in nature and use the cover of a clinic to convince vulnerable people not to seek an abortion. They do this by providing false and misleading information on the risks and costs of abortion. To protect yourself, never give your medical information to anyone who is not a doctor or working for a doctor’s office.

Important Info from AbortionFunds.org:

While it can be difficult to find an abortion clinic, especially one that you know you can trust; rest assured that the vast majority of abortion clinics are safe, clean, and will provide you with high-quality care.

Every clinic is different. When it comes to cost, anesthesia, and other available services, clinics vary widely. Some may only provide abortions up to 11 or 12 weeks into pregnancy, and others can provide abortions up to 18, 24, or 26 weeks into pregnancy. It’s a good idea to call different clinics and get an idea of what your options are. (Be aware that you may have to travel out of state to an abortion clinic, especially if you are looking for an abortion after 13 weeks of pregnancy.)

Tips on how to choose a good abortion provider and ALL the right questions to ask a clinic:

  1. Don’t trust ads in the phone book or on the internet. Big or expensive ads don’t necessarily mean that the clinic is a good one – or even that it’s a real clinic at all. Before clicking on advertisements, use the links above to see if there are clinics in your community. Cross-reference all clinics found online or in phonebooks through national abortion provider databases.

  2. Get a referral from someone you trust, if possible. If no one in your life has shared their abortion story with you or you aren’t talking about your abortion plan with anyone, you can also call a local hospital, doctor’s office, or OBGYN and ask them to refer you to a clinic they trust.

  3. Call the clinic on the phone. Ask if they provide abortions. If they say no or avoid the question, it might not really be an abortion clinic. Avoid centers that refuse to give a straightforward answer. Ask whether they have doctors or nurses on staff. Just like you would for any clinic, ask what training the doctors have received. Be an active player in your own healthcare, and If their answers seem suspicious, trust your gut and feel free to end the conversation. How do they sound? Are they friendly? Are they knowledgeable? Do they listen? Do they answer all your questions?

  4. Ask about their services. What do they offer? Can your friend, parent, or partner come with you? How many visits are required? What is the procedure like? What types of anesthesia are offered and who administers it? What do they do in case of an emergency? If you have the time, ask if you can set up an appointment to see the clinic before the date of your abortion. Is the clinic actually located where the ad in the phone book says it is? Will they tell you the credentials of their doctors and staff?

  5. Ask about their fees. Fees that sound “too good to be true” usually are. Ask what charges are included in the fee. Are all medications included? Is all lab work included? Is a follow-up included? Is a method of birth control included? Do they take insurance or Medicaid? If they can’t take Medicaid (in many states they cannot), will they give you a discount?

  6. Take a look at the clinic and staff. Is the clinic clean? What is the atmosphere like? Is it cold and sterile, or warm and friendly? How much experience do the doctors have? Can they provide you with all the information you might want?

  7. Trust your instincts. Your safety and health are the most important things to consider. If there’s anything about a clinic that makes you feel uncomfortable, ask them about it. If you aren’t sure that a clinic is doing something the right way, call your regular doctor or hospital and ask them about it.

You Can Speak to the Manager!

In times such as these, it is easy to feel powerless, but you are not. You have a right to voice your dissent and make your opinion known to your elected officials. 

You Can Minimize Your Data Exposure!

Dana Sussman, deputy executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, has pointed to two cases that could foreshadow the ways prosecutors in a post-Roe era will seek to use digital communications as evidence in cases criminalizing abortion: Purvi Patel (Indiana) and Latice Fisher (Mississippi).

While companies minimizing their own data collection and retention is the most clear-cut way to reduce the risk of that data being exposed, experts focused on surveillance and digital rights say there are some ways consumers can reduce risk themselves.

Unfortunately, you must also look outside of just your own data privacy to those of friends, family, and providers that you communicate with. That’s because even under some existing state laws like those in Texas, prosecutors may seek warrants for information from third parties they believe may have somehow helped a pregnant person seek out an abortion.

Many experts are also concerned that in a post-Roe America, data from users of period tracker apps may be exploited. While many apps are striving to achieve anonymity for their users, it is important to be mindful of what information is being kept particularly in relation to reproduction.

Tips from CNBC

  • Use a search engine or browser that minimizes data collection and retention by default, like DuckDuckGo, Firefox, or Brave, and use a private browsing window that won’t save the search history

  • Turn off location tracking for applications such as Instagram, Facebook, and mobile games

  • Refrain from communicating sensitive information unless using an encrypted messaging service, like Signal

  • Browse the internet while on a virtual private network that masks a computer’s IP address

  • Install browser extensions that can enhance privacy, disabling advertising identifiers on mobile devices, and only enabling location services when necessary

  • When visiting a sensitive place that might have increased surveillance, it may make sense to turn off devices altogether to minimize location tracking

While moments like the current one can be disheartening, it is critical to remember that your voice and actions do have an impact. Continue to speak out, protest, share resources, and support our nation’s most vulnerable. It matters.

Jeremy Gotwals
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