The role of joyful defiance in Abortion Rights and Access Strategy
This is a safe position. It’s a safe position. And it recreates a failed political compromise on bodily autonomy that, historically, did little to ensure abortion access, but cemented abortion as a political hot potato passed between political parties and administrations.
Roe wasn’t enough ten years ago, and it certainly isn’t enough today. This was proven by the Democratic message on abortion that was released during the first day at the Democratic National Convention. Three women, Hadley Duvall, Kaitlynn Joshua and Amanda Zurawski all shared their heartbreaking stories about being denied an abortion. The DNC featured abortion stories for the first time in my memory. And while I’m grateful for their inclusion, it also feels like Democrats are missing an opportunity to take a meaningful policy step forward instead of retreating to a catchphrase and policy position that, two years after Roe’s reversal, feels stale compared to the fresh new energy coalescing around Kamala Harris.
Rather than stay disappointed, I am, once again, looking to abortion rights activists for inspiration and motivation. The convention was filled with stories of tragedy and suffering. Outside the convention activists marched against the Supreme Court and any compromise Democrats might adopt to restrict abortion access. This is the energy and vision Democrats must bring to the abortion debate. Imani and I discussed this strategy on Boom! earlier this summer. Lizz Winstead, Abortion Access Front lawyer. If you missed it, check out the video. It includes a sneak peek of AAF’s Mife and Misotones who debuted at the DNC. The Vice President Harris brings a level of energy and understanding that President Biden lacks in the fight for abortion rights and access. It is for this reason that advocates should continue to embrace a political of joyful defiance. If Harris wins the presidential election, the Democrats will need to show a great deal of joy and defiance to get them where they should be in terms of abortion policy.
