“We Stopped the Sham!”: From the Steps of the Supreme Court

Pro-choice supporters rally outside the Supreme Court the morning of June 27, 2016, awaiting the decision of Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Abortion access advocates gather outside the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016. Texas’ HB 2 law required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals, and for clinics to meet hospital-grade architectural standards, but the Supreme Court ruled that those provisions created an “undue burden” on patients seeking abortions, and were therefore unconstitutional. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Numerous reproductive rights and health advocacy groups stand together outside the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016, to show support for Whole Woman’s Health and for the defeat of two key provisions of HB 2, the Texas anti-choice law. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Undue Burden: HB 2’s provisions were costly and restrictive, and if upheld, would have left Texas with only 9 or 10 clinics. Pro-choice advocates argued successfully that this would constitute an undue burden. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Hundreds of people gather outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016, as they await the verdict for Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt on the final decision day of the Court’s session. Pro-choice supporters were the large majority of the crowd. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, and Nancy Northup, president and CEO of The Center for Reproductive Rights, jubilantly greet supporters on the steps of the Supreme Court following the 5-3 ruling to strike down key provisions of HB 2, Texas’ restrictive anti-choice law, in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 2016. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Texas’ burdensome restrictions on abortion providers could set a precedent for the nation. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Hundreds of pro-choice activists celebrate the Whole Woman’s Health victory with a dance party outside the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Reproductive justice advocate Renee Bracey Sherman stands in solidarity with activists rallying for improved access to abortion care outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
“HB 2 was never about protecting women’s health. It was about eliminating access to safe and legal abortion. But they should have known, you don’t mess with Texas women. You don’t mess with Whole Woman’s Health, and you don’t mess with this beautiful and powerful movement of people committed to reproductive health, rights, and justice.” – Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Kristine Kippins, federal policy counsel at The Center for Reproductive Rights, introduces Amy Hagstrom Miller of Whole Woman’s Health (center), and Nancy Northup, president of the The Center for Reproductive Rights (right) to the crowd of supporters, after the Supreme Court ruled in the favor of Whole Woman’s Health. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Leaders and supporters of Whole Woman’s Health greet each other at the podium as the crowd of supporters chants, “We stopped the sham!” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the The Center for Reproductive Rights, addresses the crowd outside the Supreme Court following the ruling. She recognized the abortion care providers and their supporters in Texas that went “to the politicians in that state and said enough ‘enough is enough.’”

“We are so proud,” Northup continued, “that Amy Hagstrom Miller, Whole Woman’s Health, and the plaintiffs in this suit had the spirit, guts, determination and heart to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
“Today I feel closer to the day that those of us who provide abortion care will be able to go to work without worrying how we will keep our doors open to serve our patients and our communities. I feel closer to the day when a woman will be able to walk into a clinic without having to worry about obstacles, about whether her insurance will cover her abortion, without having had to travel hundreds of miles, and without protestors screaming at her.

I know that we will get there. I am more committed than ever to keep walking with loving determination on the path to dignity and justice for all.” -- Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, speaking to pro-choice supporters after the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down burdensome abortion restrictions in Texas. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health (center) cheers her organization’s victory with Fatimah Gifford, director of marketing and public relations for Whole Woman's Health, (left) and Andrea Ferrigno, corporate vice president of Whole Woman’s Health (right).

In her remarks following the decision, Hagstrom Miller said “We challenged abortion stigma by speaking openly about our work and the patients we serve. We stood in the light, and we won.” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire

On June 27, 2016, the United States Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the key provisions of Texas’s anti-choice law disputed in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. The 5-3 ruling was a comprehensive victory for pro-choice activists and abortion providers who believed the provisions, which required abortion providers to maintain admitting privileges at local hospitals and clinics to meet hospital-grade architectural standards, were an undue burden for those seeking abortion care.

Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, said of the three-year battle to preserve Texans’ rights to reproductive health care following the decision: “From day one, Whole Woman’s Health rejected HB 2’s insulting premise, and we fought back. We took on the bully politicians, we struggled every day since then against anti-choice, regressive policies and our opposition’s best efforts to shut us down. …

“For women in Texas and all across the country, this victory means we can finally end the pain and punishment of HB 2 and laws like it: the delayed care, higher costs, and impossible choices that women face when they’re denied quality, compassionate abortion care. Sadly, we won’t be able to restore access overnight. As our clinics were forced to close, we had to lay off staff. We had to let go of leases. We had to dismantle operations, we had to surrender our licenses from the state. As always, Whole Women’s Health will do everything we can to rebuild for the women we serve, and we will need the community’s help to do so. Even so, some of the harm cannot be undone, certainly not the harm inflicted on the women who had to be turned away over the past three years. Beyond that, there are other restrictions similar to HB 2 that must end. It’s time to pass state and federal laws so that a woman has access to a high quality clinic in her community, so that she can afford abortion, and so she doesn’t face shame and stigma when she seeks that care.”