Michelle Obama is speaking out on the Supreme Court’s impending decision to overturn Roe V. Wade. In a series of tweets on May 14, the former First Lady expressed her disappointment in the ruling that is likely to come out of the high court in the coming months.
She tweeted:
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks since we saw the leaked SCOTUS draft opinion on abortion. Even if we knew the courts were heading toward this day, it doesn’t make the frustration, grief, and fear any less real.”
Mrs. Obama went on to express her support for those attending the hundreds of Planned Parenthood-sponsored Bans Off Our Bodies marches across the country. From Los Angeles to the nation’s capital, supporters of a woman’s right to choose gathered on May 14 to make their voices heard. In Washington D.C., supporters came together at the Washington Monument for a day of speeches and a march to the Supreme Court.
She continued:
“But we don’t have to stand idly by while others try to turn back the clock on progress. I’m so inspired by everyone out marching today. And I know that we’re going to see so many folks carrying this energy forward to the elections in November and in every election after that.”
Although Planned Parenthood and other organizations have been gearing up for this fight, the pressure has increased since the May 2 leak of a draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito. According to the 98-page document, SCOTUS is intent on overturning Roe V. Wade. The decision would end 50 years of guaranteed federal protection of a woman’s legal right to an abortion and put it in the hands of the individual states. And when that happens, 26 states could move to ban abortions altogether, according to Planned Parenthood. But studies have shown that the Court’s position isn’t that of most people in the country. A March 2022 Pew Research Center study revealed that 61 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most situations.
Sticking with her “when they go low, we go high” message, Mrs. Obama encouraged those who are unhappy with the SCOTUS decision to let lawmakers in their states know with their vote.
“If any of you are questioning whether or not your vote matters, I get it. But remember that state lawmakers are the ones who will determine whether abortion is safe, legal, and accessible in your communities. And we are the ones who determine our state lawmakers.”
In the last of her tweets, our always classy forever First Lady directed her nearly 22 million Twitter followers to the website whenweallvote.org to check their voter registration status ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections.