In a rare win for defenders of reproductive justice, the Supreme Court of Wyoming upheld abortion rights in a 4–1 decision. A nice bit of good news in the battle for bodily autonomy.
Local reproductive justice advocates successfully fought a hostile state legislature to maintain legal access to abortion and contraceptives (read more: “Keeping abortion accessible in Wyoming” at socialism.com).
The court’s decision rests on an amendment to the state constitution that guarantees every competent adult the right to make their own healthcare decisions. Ironically, the provision was a result of conservatives trying to hinder the state’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Right-wingers said the ACA would hamper individual choice with federal mandates.
This lucky unintended consequence now means Wyoming residents have the right to bodily autonomy. Much to the shock of anti-abortionists, the court ruled that abortion is health care!
If only this guaranteed a defeat of Wyoming’s fetus fetishists. But it won’t. We who believe in access to birth control, abortion rights and general bodily autonomy must remain vigilant.
