Repro Roundup: Louisiana’s anti-abortion amendment on the ballot Nov. 1 (vote no!)
Welcome to my column, The Repro Roundup, where I summarize abortion news happening around the country, why it matters, and what you can do about it — in 250 words or less.
What’s the issue? On November 3rd, Louisianans will vote on whether to add a constitutional amendment that will outlaw abortion in the state. The amendment reads, “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.” In short, if this amendment passes, no Louisiana citizen will have a right to abortion.
Why does this matter, if abortion is legal in this country? While Roe v Wade makes abortion federally legal, if the Supreme Court were to ignore the precedents set in Roe or guts the protections we won, individual states will get to decide if abortion can remain legal in that state. By adding this amendment to the state’s constitution, Louisiana will automatically make abortion illegal should Roe fall.
Who would be affected? Like any law that makes abortion inaccessible, low-income folks, BIPOC, queer and LGBTQ+ folks, women and gender-nonconforming people will be disproportionately affected by this amendment. Additionally, outlawing legal abortion only outlaws safe abortion. According to the Center for Disease Control, “any actions which impede [someone’s] access to legal abortion may increase their risk of death.”
How can I take action?
- Sign up to volunteer with Vote No 1 LA
- Pledge to vote NO on November 3rd on Amendment 1
- Follow: voteno1la, votenolatech, latechfeminists
- Donate to the New Orleans Abortion Fund
Where can I learn more? Check out NOAF’s website and sign up for emails by Lousiana for Personal Freedoms.
- Subscribe to The Repro Queen of DC, my monthly newsletter on abortion access, activism, and writing on the frontlines of DC.
- Subscribe to Repro 101, a seven-week educational email series about all things repro. Topics include the basics of funding abortion, clinic escorting, anti-choice violence, and more.
