Planned Parenthood's political action committee in Texas says it is working to send a message that its services have not changed as a result of the Supreme Court's draft ruling obtained by Politico. Planned Parenthood Texas Votes says demonstrations will continue, and the organization is urging people protesting now to ensure they are registered to vote.
"For our organization, making sure people are getting out to vote and understand the consequences of the midterm election and what, exactly, is at stake for us is so important," says Planned Parenthood Texas Votes Executive Director Dyana Limon-Mercado. "There is a lot of work to be done."
Limon-Mercado says abortion rights in Texas have already been restricted with several measures over the past ten years. The law allowing people to sue organizations that perform an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected took effect in September. Abortion providers have said that law bans abortions as early as six weeks and before many women know they are pregnant. They say up to 90 percent of women who seek an abortion are beyond that limit.
"I think the important thing to know is the threat to abortion access across the country is not hypothetical and our right to abortion is being crushed right now," she says. "While this draft opinion may be shocking to many people in other states, here in Texas, we have been fighting this battle for over a decade."
Planned Parenthood Votes staged demonstrations in cities across Texas Tuesday afternoon, including Dallas and Fort Worth. Limon-Mercado says those will continue leading up to a final decision, but she says Planned Parenthood's services will not change before a ruling that may not come for several months.
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"I think that is the point to make first and foremost is abortion is still legal," she says. "As of today, it remains your constitutional right to access care. Now is our time to make sure our voices are heard, and we continue the fight and don't let up in making sure everyone has access to their constitutional right to abortion."
Limon-Mercado says health centers are still scheduling appointments. She says Planned Parenthood Votes will work with other advocacy groups, funds and providers to ensure access to services including birth control, STD testing and healthcare.
Last year, Texas passed a "trigger law" that would go into effect if a Supreme Court decision reversed Roe v. Wade. The law would include up to a life prison sentence for doctors who perform an abortion. An exception would include saving the life of the mother or preventing "substantial impairment of major bodily function."
Limon-Mercado says if that law is triggered, many people would travel to another state or Mexico for an abortion.
"The people who are most impacted by these restrictions are those most in need. We're talking about Latinas, Black women, people of color, people who are living paycheck to paycheck, people who are already parents and struggling to provide for their families," she says. "Whether somebody is traveling out of the country or out of state, that's not accessible for every person. You're talking about days, taking time off work when they're already living paycheck to paycheck. You're talking about the cost of transportation and lodging on top of the cost of the procedure."
She says two out of three women who have an abortion already have children and would also need to find childcare if they have to travel to another state.
"It's important to remember everybody's situation about why they decide or need to have an abortion is different," Limon-Mercado says. "There are some people who may have been experiencing an unintended pregnancy. There are people who may have a very wanted pregnancy who then have a diagnosis for the fetus that is not compatible with completing the pregnancy."
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