In a bold move to protect women’s reproductive rights, Missouri and South Dakota have announced that they will be pursuing referendums to enshrine abortion rights in their respective state constitutions. This comes in the wake of a wave of restrictive abortion laws that have been passed in several states across the country, threatening to roll back decades of progress in women’s rights.
Missouri, a state that has been at the center of the abortion rights debate, has long been a battleground for reproductive rights. In recent years, the state has passed some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, leading to the closure of several clinics and severely limiting access to safe and legal abortion services. Now, activists in Missouri are fighting back, gathering signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that would protect the right to abortion in the state constitution.
South Dakota, another state with a history of restrictive abortion laws, is also taking a stand for women’s rights. The state recently passed a law that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant. This extreme law has sparked outrage among pro-choice advocates, who are now working to gather signatures for a referendum that would protect abortion rights in the state constitution.
These moves by Missouri and South Dakota are part of a larger trend across the country, as states increasingly take matters into their own hands to protect women’s reproductive rights in the face of a conservative Supreme Court and a federal government that is hostile to abortion rights. With the threat of Roe v. Wade being overturned looming large, states are stepping up to ensure that women have access to safe and legal abortion services, regardless of what happens at the federal level.
The fight for abortion rights is far from over, but the actions of states like Missouri and South Dakota show that the tide may be turning in favor of reproductive rights. With more states taking proactive measures to protect women’s rights, there is hope that the gains made in the fight for reproductive freedom will not be easily undone. As the battle rages on, it is clear that the fight for abortion rights is far from over, but with the support of states like Missouri and South Dakota, there is reason to be hopeful for the future of women’s rights in America.