Roe v. Wade has been overturned, what can we do?

Dear WiSTEM members and more, 

We’d like to clarify our standpoint on abortion rights as a group that supports the well-being and success of female-identifying individuals in STEM. Following the elimination of the constitutional rights of abortion due to the overturn of Roe v Wade, we want to affirm that WiSTEM supports the bodily autonomy of all uterus-carrying individuals. This ruling impacts the very real lives of all uterus-carrying individuals, especially those already marginalized in the US. The leadership team of WiSTEM recognizes this decision as a violation of human rights and access to necessary healthcare.  

WiSTEM will focus its efforts on creating actionable items and well-executed events to support our members and beyond. We will continue publicizing relevant resources and events regarding abortion rights on our social media. We are working on organizing an educational seminar and a discussion about the legal consequences of the Roe v. Wade overturn for the fall semester. Furthermore, we plan to have The Turnaway Study, which is, “the first study to rigorously examine the effects of receiving versus being denied a wanted abortion on women and their children”, available for rent. Meanwhile, WiSTEM will also assist in fundraising efforts for abortion funds and independent clinics by reaching out and collaborating with WashU and STL community partners. As always, WiSTEM welcomes open communication and discussion.

Please see below for helpful information and tools to understand the current situation and what we can do to support each other in this turbulent time.  

Action items relating to abortion advocacy:  

• Read/Watch the following educational (digestible) resources 
  • the Turnaway Study; here is a brief fact sheet.  
  • Implication of Roe v Wade overturn 
  • Roe v. Wade | Everything you need to know, explained simply | Ext. Interview (YouTube) 
  • 6 takeaways from the Supreme Court opinion that ended Roe v. Wade 
  • Less digestible, but important original The Dobbs v. Jackson Decision, Annotated by NY Times (available to WashU students for free).  
• Donate  
  • National Network of Abortion Funds  
  • Keep our Clinics 
  • Planned Parenthood 
  • Center for Reproductive Rights 
  • Missouri Abortion Fund 
• Look out for the relevant events: 
  • Follow and sign the petition on Bansoff.org for the latest events 
  • Check your voter registration status, register, and vote.  
• Join other groups:  
  • LouHealth
  • Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health 
  • Medical Students for Choice 

Thank you and take care. 

Best,  

WiSTEM leadership 2022-2023