This year we saw some major wins in reproductive justice: Ohio voted to enshrine reproductive protection into their state constitution, Virginians blocked Gov. Youngkin’s hopes for a 15-week abortion ban and abortion coverage expanded or resumed in states like Wisconsin.
But it was far from a fairytale ending for 2023. The type of reproductive care one can and cannot access continues to be impacted by state laws and the people who make them. The fall of Roe v. Wade exacerbated long-standing issues like pregnancy criminalization, and forced even more pregnant people to travel significant distances to receive healthcare and abortion.
From pushing for harsher abortion restrictions to taking legal action against FDA-approved medication – that’s used for more than just abortion – these are 5 people who sucked in 2023:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Kate Cox has become the face of the reproductive rights ban showdown in Texas, forced to flee the state to receive an abortion for a life-threatening pregnancy – even though legislation claims there are exceptions to the law for people in this situation.
After a lower court approved her exception, Attorney General Ken Paxton ran this case to the Texas Supreme Court, then sent a letter to local hospitals threatening the civil and legal liability of anyone involved in Cox’s abortion process.
In February, Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration to prevent pharmacies in Texas from prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. Paxton has a strong history of chiming in on anti-abortion legislation around the country, which he boasts about on his website.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Currently on his bid for the White House, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Republican presidential debate in October, that he would support a federal 15-week abortion ban, implying that he would continue pushing pro-life initiatives that he’s supported in his state.
This April, DeSantis signed the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” a…
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