Two years ago on July 20, Georgia was devastated by an extreme and dangerous abortion ban that created hazardous outcomes for Georgian women, their families, and our state’s entire health care system. The overturning of Roe v. Wade, which former president Donald Trump has touted as one of his greatest accomplishments, has led to abortion bans in every state across the South, with Georgia having one of the most dangerous bans.
Now, more than half of Black women of reproductive age across the country live with little to no abortion access. This anniversary demands that we reflect on what has been taken from women, their families and practitioners, including me, and reflect on what we stand to lose in this election if Trump wins in November. He is the person responsible for overturning Roe and unleashing our cruel abortion ban, and if given the chance, he would go even further.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Passed in 2022, Georgia’s extreme abortion ban severely restricts our freedoms. The law effectively criminalized abortion care before many women even realize they are pregnant. This law undermines bodily autonomy and the right to make personal medical decisions free from governmental interference. It robs women of their ability to make the health care decisions that are right — and necessary — for them and their families. It robs Georgian women of their freedom.
Georgia’s abortion ban also has a significant economic impact in our state. We are losing health care providers, businesses and talented professionals who choose to relocate to other states where doctors are not currently at risk of losing their license or facing jail time.
Worse still, is that this reality could worsen and expand nationwide come November. Should Donald Trump win reelection, health care providers will have nowhere to go. Forced to operate under the most hostile of conditions, choosing between doing our jobs and facing potential legal consequences, providers will face an even more horrifying reality: a nation without basic reproductive care.
As a women’s health nurse practitioner, educator and a Black woman, I have seen firsthand the catastrophic blow this dangerous abortion ban has had on the health and well-being of Georgian women, particularly in marginalized communities. Trump ushered in Georgia’s abortion ban, and it represents a threat to our public health system. By severely restricting access to safe and legal abortion care, this legislation directly endangers the lives and health of women across the state. Denying individuals the right to make decisions about their own bodies violates their autonomy and forces them into potentially unsafe and life-threatening situations.
When patients are unable to access timely and safe abortion care, they might resort to unsafe methods or be forced to travel long distances to obtain the care they need, leading to increased health risks and complications. This is especially concerning for Black women and other marginalized communities who already face significant barriers to health care access.
The outlook is grim if we do not act now. This November, our most basic freedoms are on the line. Under a second Trump presidency, we will continue down this dangerous path with our reproductive rights slashed, disproportionately affecting those already marginalized and underserved. The repercussions of such regressive policies are far-reaching, impacting not only individuals seeking abortion care but also the broader landscape of women’s health and autonomy.
So as we mark the second anniversary of this draconian law in Georgia, we must come together to resist these attacks on reproductive rights and vote for candidates and advocate for policies that uphold the freedom of women. We must stand in solidarity with those affected by these harmful laws and work tirelessly to ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including safe and legal abortion care. We must work tirelessly to ensure that the only candidates who will protect and restore our reproductive freedom return to the Oval Office: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The anniversary of the Trump-enabled Georgia abortion ban serves as a somber reminder of the ongoing battle for reproductive justice. I urge all Georgians to join forces in safeguarding the fundamental rights of individuals to make decisions about their bodies and futures. We cannot afford to remain silent in the face of such grave injustices. The stakes have never been higher.
Shawana S. Moore is a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner who specializes in providing women’s and gender-related care throughout the life span. She was president of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health from 2022-2023, and the first African American to hold that position. She is an associate professor and director of the masters and doctorate in nursing programs at Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University.
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