Today, the Supreme Court of the United States overruled Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal right to abortion. The Dobbs decision is harrowing, but it is not surprising. For decades, legislators have restricted access to abortion and prevented many people—particularly low-income women of color—from receiving safe and affordable reproductive health care. The consequences of today’s ruling are far-reaching and dangerous. While this decision stands to impact every person in this country, certain groups, like women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, including queer, non-binary, and transgender men, are disproportionally at risk. 

At Legal Momentum, we recognize that the fight for gender equality is also a fight for racial justice. We understand that to tackle gender discrimination, we must also address the institutional racism faced by people of color in this country. We know that discrimination in any form puts marginalized groups at greater risk of economic hardship, exclusion, and violence.

Today, Legal Momentum honors the life of Madeleine Albright, our first female Secretary of State and a globally lauded human rights activist. As a child of refugees, Madeleine Albright dedicated her life to the fight for freedom everywhere, touring the world throughout her career to promote peace, reconciliation, and mutual respect among the international community.  She is an icon for women everywhere and a reminder of what’s possible when we enable women and girls to realize their full potential. We thank Ms. Albright for her activism and dedication to improving humanity and are proud to continue the fight for equality, security, and justice in all of Legal Momentum’s work. 

Legal Momentum applauds Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for introducing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022. This important bill reflects a bipartisan consensus that the government needs to do more to prevent and to respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The bill addresses the many needs identified during extensive engagement with survivors, service providers, researchers, and others in the domestic violence and sexual assault fields. A summary of the Senate bill can be found here.