On the 50th Anniversary of Roe, ERA gears up to address the implications of Dobbs in 2023

January 20. 2023

For Immediate Release
Jan 20, 2023

Media Contact
Nazirah Ahmad
[email protected]

Jan. 22, 2023, would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. With the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling overturning the federal right to an abortion last year, the health and lives of millions of Americans have been put at risk, decades of gender justice progress has been halted, and social inequalities have been worsened, especially for women of color.

At Equal Rights Advocates, we are gearing up to address the implications and economic ramifications of Dobbs in 2023 and continue fighting to ensure access to reproductive healthcare can become a reality for all.

Studies show there is a direct causal relationship between the right to an abortion and women’s future economic and social participation. Women’s labor force participation increased from 40% before Roe v. Wade in 1973 to 60% in 2020. Since 2022, labor participation rates for women in states banning abortion have decreased to 56%. Following the Dobbs decision, pre-existing inequalities have only been exacerbated as most abortions are banned in at least 13 states. New research has proven a correlation between abortion restrictions and increased suicide risk among women ages 20 to 34, increased challenges for more than 5 million Latinas to access abortions, and increased maternal and infant death rates in states with abortion restrictions.

However, the continuous fight for reproductive justice is unwavering. Female founders are increasing investment in women’s healthcare, President Biden issued an executive order aimed at ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, and in the first post-Roe election five states granted protections for abortion rights.

Follow ERA in 2023 as we build on this momentum by supporting citizen-led ballot initiatives enshrining abortion rights in 10 more states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota.