On December 1, 2021, I sat in my office listening to live coverage of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court case. Was this the case that we have prayed would overturn Roe v. Wade and give abortion rights back to the states?
Since that day, we here at Choices Resource Center have been hopeful and expectant, educating ourselves and planning as much as possible in hopes that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. And that day looks to be almost here.
Although there is no guarantee at this point, we wanted to share what a post-Roe United States and specifically Tennessee would look like if the Supreme Court releases the official ruling in the coming weeks.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Abortion will remain legal in parts of the United States.
Contrary to what some major news sources and social media outlets are screaming, abortion will still be legal in many states after the Supreme Court ruling, which is expected in late June. To be clear, abortion was legal in the United States before 1973; it simply depended on individual state laws. The same will be true post-Roe—the power would go back to the states.
2. In Tennesee, abortion will be illegal except in the extremely rare case the mother’s life is at risk.
Tennessee currently has a trigger law in place by which abortion will cease once the Supreme Court ruling is officially released. This means no one is allowed to obtain abortion pills via mail, hospital, doctor’s office, or abortion clinic. It also means no surgical abortions will be performed. Praise the Lord!
Sadly, the reality is, abortions will still take place here in Tennessee, just not legally. Patting each other on the back and thinking our pro-life work is finished is short-sighted. We should be proud of our pro-life laws in this great state, but our work is far from finished.
3. Travel abortion is coming.
I am not sure how this will work specifically, but we will see the abortion industry making ways for women in our state to have legal access to abortion. Most abortions are performed in the first trimester, and the majority of those are by abortion pills—also known as chemical abortion. (I will be writing soon about the abortion pill because I believe everyone needs to understand the realities of this demonic group of pills.)
I believe organizations like Planned Parenthood will give transportation for a small fee to a neighboring border state where some type of abortion is legal—even if they have a heartbeat bill. They may have buses to take groups of women across Tennesee’s border to a facility where they can take the first abortion pill. Then they will leave with the second set of pills to take in 24 to 48 hours. We also know there will be funds available through pro-abortion organizations for women who are further along in their pregnancy seeking surgical abortions to fly to states where it is legal.
4. Unplanned pregnancies will continue.
Whether or not abortion is legal, women will continue getting pregnant unexpectedly. Many will first Google their options whether it is abortion, adoption, or help with parenting. It is our commitment that our ads on Google will be there for them to see and click. These women will still be able to call, text, or email someone at Choices 24 hours a day. We will help them work through their obstacles and see their little one, as early as possible, through ultrasound. Then we will support them as they walk through this unplanned pregnancy.
Choices Resource Center’s Commitment
If Roe v. Wade being overturned does anything different to Choices Resource Center, I believe it will make us busier than ever. We finished a record year in 2021, seeing more women and their partners choose life—many came to us believing abortion was their only option.
Our commitment has always been to support the moms and dads—not simply while they are expecting but for years after their children are born. We want to see these families thrive! But more than anything, we want to bring the hope of the gospel to their ears every chance we have! None of this will change with a new law.
If anything changes here at Choices, it is to offer MORE for these women who are seeking help. We are in the final stages of providing the abortion pill reversal in our office to women who change their minds within 24 hours after taking the first set of abortion pills in order to save the life of their baby. We are working towards updating the client side of our building so we can bring the best care to those coming through our doors. And we have exciting plans to share in the coming months to extend care to more women in our area than ever before!
It looks like we will soon be in uncharted territory here, but we are humbled that God has chosen us and chosen you to walk with us in what may be a post-Roe world. Our commitment will not change, but our methods may have to. Will you pray for us as we navigate this exciting time? And will you commit to partnering with us as we continue meeting women where they are and showing them they can choose life for their little ones?
-Sarah Fern, Executive Director
