Observance of Our Grief Post The Overturn of Roe v. Wade

With Roe v. Wade overturned, the U.S. Supreme Court’s message is clear: Women’s rights are under attack. 

We’re absolutely devastated by the court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In fact, it’s near impossible to find the words to describe how we feel. At Party Positivity, we have always been centered around and championed women’s rights – and even more specifically women’s right to comprehensive reproductive health care. 

Since 1973, women have had access to safe and legal abortions. This codified, in the highest court of the land, a woman’s constitutional right to bodily autonomy. With this monstrous overturning, the bodily autonomy of women across this country – a country that so boisterously claims to stand for freedom and individual liberty – has suffered a massive blow.

What to Do About the Overturn of Roe V. Wade  

When something like this happens, it feels utterly disorienting. We’re grieving and mourning. We feel confused and righteously angry. Everything. All at once. 

With Roe v. Wade overturned, a foundational cornerstone of women’s rights has been removed. A violent tear has been made in the vast and diverse tapestry that is human rights. As a Filipino-American public health professional, I never expected that something like this would happen in my lifetime. Certainly not in a country like the United States of America. 

Now is the time to turn the clock forward, not backward. We stand in solidarity with women and people of every gender identity whose right to safe and comprehensive reproductive health care has been revoked. 

Our approach moving forward is threefold: 

  • We seek to provide a space to process the turbulent emotions women are feeling and ignite a conversation centered on taking action in a post Roe v. Wade world. 
  • We aim to share facts and educational resources that will clear up confusion around the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate and empower those having this conversation to move it forward with facts and figures.  
  • Lastly, we seek to light the spark of optimism. This repugnant blow to a woman’s right to choose can unite and galvanize feminists around the world. This spark can fuel a surge of action and a fight to restore the reproductive rights we’ve lost.

Ceremony vs. Celebration 

Party Positivity has always been and will continue to be a safe space where women can build community through equitable and just ceremonies and celebrations. Of course, ceremony is at the heart of Party Positivity’s mission, but not every ceremony is a celebration.  

Although we tend to focus on joyful, non-traditional celebrations (e.g., friendship anniversaries, career transition toasts, coming out parties, paying-off-your-debt brunches, back-to-school showers) we must not overlook occasions where grief is the main event. 

Every year since 1973, when Roe v. Wade was instituted, we’ve celebrated. We fought hard for this constitutional right– and we won.  

Today, however, we seek and foster community for horrifically different reasons. Now, it’s more important than ever to come together. 

Grieving Together  

We need to pause for a moment and mourn this loss– individually and collectively. There’s a long road ahead, and rest is imperative. We need to remember to take time and space for ourselves first. We all grieve differently, and we need to honor that. 

One of our main pillars is rooted in the “choice to celebrate ourselves authentically.” We strive to embody what pro-choice means in everything we do. The overturn of Roe v. Wade is an assault on our very right to choose. We must come together to process our collective grief. The importance of community can’t be overlooked in the moment. We must care for each other because the only way we can fight this is through solidarity. 

Roe v. Wade Overturned: What You Need to Know 

Before we can make any changes to our environment, we need to get our bearings. We need to know the facts: 

  • The overturn leaves it up to the state to decide abortion’s legality. As explained here, the ruling says a state can choose to either outlaw or provide abortions.  
  • Restricting abortion access leads to an increase in poor maternal health outcomes. Contrary to what many anti-women’s choice entities claim, restricting access to legal and safe abortions doesn’t lower maternal mortality. In fact, the opposite is likely to become true.  

Get Involved 

There’s power in numbers and so much value in community. When we stand together in solidarity for women’s rights, we’re a force to be reckoned with. 

After taking time to process our personal and collective grief, it’s time to take action. It’s time to get involved in local politics, reach out to your representatives, and/or make donations to organizations dedicated to making abortion accessible for everyone who needs them. 

Let this ruling galvanize pro-abortion, pro-reproductive rights, and pro-feminist groups around the country. We can and will overcome this. 

An Important Disclaimer 

While we’re having this crucial conversation, it’s important to remember that this issue doesn’t just impact women. This affects any person who can get pregnant. Party Positivity proudly stands for the rights of transgender, intersex, and gender diverse people whose right to choose is under siege.  

The Party Positive Right to Choose 

With Roe v. Wade overturned, our right to choose is undermined. Party Positivity stands firmly in our support of women’s rights to comprehensive health care and accessible abortions. We encourage those in solidarity with us to process their emotions, get together, get informed, and get involved.  

Follow us on social media @party_positivity for additional information, community, and support.  

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