Navigating a Post-Dobbs Era: Repercussions Faced by Marginalized Communities and the Future of Reproductive Justice

In June 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, revoking the federal protection of the right to receive an abortion, and leaving abortion policymaking to state legislatures. Approximately thirteen states have already enforced abortion bans as of April 2023, while some states are still struggling with legal challenges of the ban. Across the U.S., individuals with the capacity for pregnancy are left without legal protection to such a necessary medical procedure. However, abortion access is only the surface of what is taken away from pregnant people with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Exacerbated by race, class, and location of residence, pregnant people face major health, socioeconomic, and social losses that ultimately contribute to a poorer quality of life and overall setback in the movement towards reproductive justice. This paper explores the effects of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, by examining the realities of marginalized groups through the lenses of social welfare, public health, politics, and reproductive justice.