Building Beyond Roe: A Reproductive Future Centered on Equity and Freedom
As we mark another year since the Supreme Court first recognized the right to abortion in Roe v. Wade, we recognize this anniversary by reflecting on its limitations and heeding this moment’s urgent call to action. Roe was far from perfect. Its framework left many—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, low-income individuals, and those in rural communities—without true access to care.
Today, with a hostile federal administration actively working to undermine reproductive rights, we are more determined than ever to build a future that is rooted in justice, unbound by the restraints of Roe. At the National Institute for Reproductive Health, we believe in creating a world where everyone, regardless of race, income, or geography, can access the full spectrum of reproductive health care with dignity, autonomy, and without government interference.
This vision is not just aspirational—it is being realized in states and communities through NIRH and our partners’ work across the country:
- In Arizona, the Arizona Proactive Reproductive Justice Alliance is pushing forward a suite of legislation to repeal more than 50 archaic abortion bans and restrictions, combatting government interference in health care and ensuring access to care in underserved communities.
- In Georgia, the Reproductive Freedom Act, championed by Amplify GA, is a visionary bill that meets the needs of every Georgian by dismantling barriers to care and enshrining reproductive rights in state law.
- In Minnesota, the state’s abortion fund, Our Justice, is addressing the financial and logistical barriers to abortion care by calling on the state to bolster insurance coverage and establish the Reproductive Health Equity Fund in support of those who provide or help patients access care.
- In New York, we are working in coalition to deepen and expand policies that protect, pay for, and affirm reproductive health, setting a national standard for what equitable, expansive, care should look like.
- In Virginia, Repro Rising Virginia is advocating for policies to expand and protect access to reproductive health care, including protecting personal reproductive and sexual health data from being sold or disclosed, protecting the right to contraception, and shielding people who help others access abortion in Virginia from extradition to another state.
These efforts demonstrate the transformative power of state and local action. They show what is possible when we center those most impacted—communities historically marginalized and criminalized—while building coalitions, advancing bold policies, and creating systemic change.
Accessing care is not just about open clinics and available appointments; it is about having the resources, freedom, and support to make decisions without government interference, stigma, or shame. It is about addressing inequities that stretch far beyond reproductive health care, ensuring every person has the opportunity to thrive.
Meanwhile, a hostile federal administration and Congress are compounding these inequities, and their priorities tell us all we need to know. Instead of championing policies that help families thrive, they are advancing harmful measures like HR 21/S 6 which would interfere with patient decision-making and the ability of providers to practice evidence-based medicine, threatens providers with criminal and civil penalties, and perpetuates myths and lies about abortion care. These actions are not about protecting health or supporting families—they are part of a calculated strategy rooted in domination and aimed at pushing abortion care out of reach. By misleading the public, interfering with medical decisions, and intimidating providers, they exacerbate stigma and deepen harm for all of us, but especially those already facing systemic barriers.
At NIRH, we recognize that reproductive rights intersect with racial and economic justice, immigration, housing, climate, and the fight for a fair and inclusive democracy. The barriers people face are interconnected—and so must be the solutions. Reproductive freedom requires dismantling the systemic inequities that perpetuate injustice across all these areas.
As we reflect on Roe, let us also look forward to a future defined not by the compromises of the past but by the bold promise of equity and justice. This is not a fight for incremental change—it is a fight for transformation. Together, we can create a nation where reproductive freedom is a reality for all—a future built from the center out, centering those most impacted, and ensuring that no one is left behind.