BRYAN, Texas — On June 24, the right for women to end their pregnancy was overturned, which was in effect for 50 years.
A pro-choice organization named Feminists for Reproductive Equity and Education(FREE), founded at Texas A&M University passes out contraceptives to students. The organization gives sexual education and offers ways students can protect themselves during and after sexual involvement.
Salem Smith is the Vice President of Feminists for Reproductive Equity and a student intern for Planned Parenthood. Smith told a KAGS reporter, that an empty feeling fell upon both organizations when Roe Vs Wade was overturned.
The U.S supreme court's decision put an end to one of the ways the organizations supported students on campus. Smith said they were planning on passing out contraceptives to students that day.
“I mean I just remember waking up that morning and seeing the news and feeling a sense of dread.” “Basically told by my boss to hold off on distributing plan b’s, for now, we have no idea what they’re going to get you all in trouble for,” Salem said.
Smith explained how this was their reaction out of fear, the domino effect they're predicting to come.
Smith said she was asking herself that day, the same question that other abortion activists and organizers, “Is this gonna get to the point where I’m going to be arrested for trying to help people ask people basic healthcare?”
Smith believes this is a targeted attack on a community that supports women who accessed their right to basic healthcare.
“It’s a scary time,” Smith said.
Hannah Albor, the treasurer of FREE, had the same question as she worries about the young women that are fearful right now. Albor said she believes the overturn will do more harm than good.
“Young women are afraid right now,” said Albor.
“I think that this has opened a can of worms that will allow legislatures in Texas to take a really conservative step backward,” Albor said.
Albor thinks LGBTQ rights, women's rights, and more rights will soon become the next target.
Albor said this could open the doors for lawmakers to re-examine other prevented rulings such as Lawerence vs. Texas.
Supreme Court Justice Judge Clarence Thomas, opened on June 24th writing in an opinion article that SCOTUS “should reconsider” its past ruling codifying rights to access to contraceptives, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.
Albor believes lawmakers should be focusing on what she called, more pressing issues. She feels maternal healthcare, ensuring kids' school lunches and gun laws are more important.
Albor said the agency over a woman’s body is something a state could decide on, outraged by the message she believes it sends to young women.
“Wow the supreme court thinks I am blessed with a thing that deserves more rights than a handgun, it’s absurd,” Albur said
Smith and Albor expressed how heartbroken they were and described that it is a “strange time” in America right now.
FREE and Planned Parenthood are expecting to know soon how they will provide services and contraceptive resources to women.
“No matter what, we’re going to keep fighting,” Smith said.
“The only thing we have left is hope, said Albor.
