Abortion Is Essential to Democracy
After S.B. 8 went into effect in Texas on September 1, and following the Supreme Court’s 5-4 egregious ruling allowing its enforcement, a cohort of staff from across the Brennan Center for Justice came together to show solidarity, express outrage, and articulate a response. That conversation morphed into an electrifying brainstorm with Ms., the result of which is captured in the array of essays published below.
The Brennan Center for Justice, a law and policy institute affiliated with NYU Law, is a central and invaluable leader in the fight for democracy and justice in America. Every day, it works to protect voting rights, ensure free and fair elections, champion a diverse judiciary, and advocate for equal justice.
By formally joining our voices, we hope to demonstrate that the fight for abortion rights, the fight for equality, and the fight for representative democracy are all in service of the same goal: justice for all.
Scientific Standards
The “ Invent-Your-Own-Facts Approach”: Many Abortion Laws Use Medically Incorrect Language
Martha Kinsella, senior counsel at the Brennan Center
Julia Boland, research and program associate at the Brennan Center
Harry Rube, Brennan Center intern and JD candidate at the New York University School of Law
Criminal Justice
Miscarriage of Justice: The Danger of Laws Criminalizing Pregnancy Outcomes
Madiba K. Dennie, counsel at the Brennan Center
Jackie Fielding, counsel at the Brennan Center
State Courts
The Power of State Courts in Securing Abortion Access: “It’s Time to Give Them Center Stage”
Alicia Bannon, managing director at the Brennan Center
Money in Politics
A Vocal—and Wealthy—Minority Is Controlling Abortion Access
Ian Vandewalker, senior counsel at the Brennan Center
Mira Ortegon, research and program associate at the Brennan Center
Voting Rights
Texas’s Abortion Bans and Voter Suppression Laws Let Citizens Do “Dirty Work” of Opposing Constitution
Izabela Tringali, research and program associate at the Brennan Center
Julia Kirschenbaum, research and program associate at the Brennan Center
Philanthropy
Abortion Funds Enable Access: The Time to Invest in Direct Aid Is Now
Gabriella Limón, research and program associate at the Brennan Center
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, women and democracy fellow at the Brennan Center
First Amendment
Religion Must Not Substitute Science in the Abortion Debate
Kelly Percival, counsel at the Brennan Center
Gender Equity
The Government Has a Long History of Controlling Women—One That Never Ended
Elizabeth Hira, policy counsel and Spitzer fellow at the Brennan Center
Academia
What Happens When the Law Fails Those Who Are Learning to Protect It?
Gowri Ramachandran, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center
Menstrual Equity
When “Six Weeks” Is Actually Two: Understanding Periods Is Essential to Fighting Abortion Bans
Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, women and democracy fellow at the Brennan Center
