When
Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last year, loyal reader and good friend
Marni reached out. I liked and respected RBG; Marni loved and admired her. As we talked, Marni shared her deep sadness as well as her concern for the future. What’s going to happen with the Court? she asked.
Roe v. Wade didn’t come up that day. But it didn’t need to, I guess. Marni and I both understood that RBG’s passing might mean the end of a woman’s right to choose. Two weeks ago, when the state of Texas passed
Senate Bill 8, making it a crime to perform or aid an abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, and deputizing citizens to enforce the ban, the Court did not intervene. Dissenting,
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “The court’s order is stunning. Presented with an application to enjoin a flagrantly unconstitutional law engineered to prohibit women from exercising their constitutional rights and evade judicial scrutiny, a majority of Justices have opted to bury their heads in the sand.”
This week’s issue of The Highlighter includes articles and essays that focus on the legacy of
Roe, centering stories of pregnant women and the women who support them. You’ll meet a California physician who provides abortions across state lines. You’ll meet Anna, a midwife who helps poor women end their pregnancies in their homes. You’ll meet Alex, an abortion doula, who says that sometimes, “kindness is more important than truth.” And in today’s lead article, “
Jane Roe’s Baby Tells Her Story,” you’ll meet Shelley, who speaks publicly for the first time.
I hope you find at least one article worth your time and attention. If a piece moves you, please feel free to hit reply and let me know.
+ Tickets to
Highlighter Happy Hour #14 sold out quickly last Thursday! I can’t wait to see all of you. (It’s been a very long time.) If you can’t make HHH this time, never fear. There will be more events and meet-ups soon. Like maybe another
Game Show?
