In Mississippi, the abortion law has disappeared and mothers are mostly alone

• Ryan Ermine

  Correspondent from the United States

Since the US Supreme Court abolished the right to abortion nationwide in June, the right to abortion has once again been a topic for voters. It is also an argument to the midterm, the mid-term congressional elections of 8 November. Republicans, who previously celebrated the Supreme Court ruling grandly, were remarkably silent during the midterm election campaign.

It is mainly President Biden’s party that calls on women to do this Roevember, a massive vote for Democrats to pass a nationwide abortion bill in Congress.

Last summer changed America is fundamental. An entire generation knew nothing but the right to abortion Roe vs Wade it was legally rooted in American society. However conservative or progressive the states were, the right to abortion was legal and federally protected. But the Supreme Court overturned that and ruled that states can set their own abortion policies.

The court did so on the basis of a much lesser known case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which began in the state of Mississippi. After a long legal battle, the state’s latest abortion clinic not only lost the case, but also the right to keep its doors open.

The Jackson Women’s Health Organization building in the Mississippi capital now has a different type of business. Construction workers work in the sun on a renovation. The property was nicknamed The pink house, because of the pink painted walls, but this too probably needs a lick of paint. The new owner wants to sell luxury items there.

In Mississippi, lack of access to adequate care for pregnant women and mothers has led to a health crisis. Many districts are invariably on the list ‘maternity care deserts’, areas where obstetric practice cannot be found. It adds to the many sad records that Mississippi writes each year. Nowhere in America do more babies and mothers die during and after pregnancy. Black women are the most vulnerable.

The clinic Sisters at birth receives patients from all over the state in their office building everyday. Female icons like Toni Morrison and Malala Yousafzai hang on the walls and soothing music. Some women drove three hours for their first exam or to get advice on breastfeeding and exercise.

According to medical director Yalonda Davis, all of the clinic’s work is aimed at reducing the number of deaths. “It’s heartbreaking what the broken healthcare system is doing to women of color in particular.” She shakes her head and sighs. “We are supposedly the richest country in the world, but here it is only a third world country.”

After the abortion ban, the clinic was so busy that they had to turn down people’s requests for help. More money is needed quickly.

That money would come if the state of Mississippi agreed to expand Medicaid, the public health insurance plan for America’s poor. Under the current Mississippi regime, women are only insured for up to two months after birth, with many complications occurring thereafter. The adjustment would insure women for up to one year and would drastically reduce the problems. But a Republican leader in the state has already said he is against it; he just wants fewer people in such programs.

when egg fallen, progressive judges in court who disagreed with the decision didn’t give a damn about Mississippi. “States with the strictest abortion laws invest even the least in maternal and child health,” they wrote.

The governor of Mississippi just spoke of a “joyful day” and promised that the next phase of the pro-life movement would serve mothers and children with a policy of compassion.

But four months after that ruling, there is no indication that the protection of life after birth is at the top of the agenda.

According to political activist Angela Grayson, it’s been the same for years: “Conservative members of the state parliament set up committees and write reports. They’re always looking for more data. But we black women are the data, they just ignore us.”

Angela distributes some brochures in the West Jackson neighborhood where she grew up. She tries it with her organization Black women’s voting coalition mobilize women of color in Mississippi to go to the polls. “The only way to bring about change is to increase political pressure. We must learn to vote for politicians who defend our interests.”

According to her, a decidedly hostile attitude is palpable in the state: “There is no one who experiences as much racism and misogyny as a black woman in Mississippi.” Tamara, a patient in Sisters at birth-the clinic seems to inadvertently confirm this claim. He wants to know how things are organized in the Netherlands. At the end of the explanation on public health, maternity and parental leave, she sincerely asks: “Does this also apply to black women?”

Mid-term, mid-term elections, abortion is literally on the agenda in several states voting paper. Some progressive states even want to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution. If the Democrats can keep their slim majority in Congress, President Biden wants the Roe vs Wade issue a decision in law. But the chances of this happening are slim if the Republicans manage to win back one of the two Houses.

The midterm is already next Tuesday. Curious what else it is? Lucas Waagmeester explains it to you: