Daily Skimm: These boots are gonna walk all over you

The Story

The constitutional right to an abortion is over. And now, the fight has moved to other frontiers. Including...

Abortion pills: These two pills — mifepristone and then misoprostol — reportedly accounted for the majority of all abortions in the US in 2020. They're approved for use for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. And are safe, effective, and can be prescribed in person or virtually (depending on your state). More than 12 states previously tightened access to the pills and banned telehealth visits to get access. But since mifepristone is FDA-approved, the Biden admin is hoping that federal authority overrules state restrictions. It’s an issue that will likely head to the courts. In the meantime, requests for abortion pills have reportedly quadrupled at one nonprofit org since last week.

Voting: The majority of Americans support access to abortion, with a recent poll finding 59% disapprove of SCOTUS’s decision. Over the weekend, thousands turned out across the country to protest the ruling. Others came out to celebrate. In November, many will take their opinions to the polls. While abortion changes will now largely be addressed at the state level, some House Republicans are pushing a nationwide 15-week abortion ban. Meanwhile, Democrats have tried to codify the right to an abortion. But it failed last month on the Senate floor. Now, Dems could look to overturn the filibuster to try and make progress on this issue. (Spoiler: That's looking unlikely.) 

SCOTUS: Some championed the Supreme Court as a gov branch that can withstand public opinion and pressure. Others dismissed the bench as illegitimate. A new Gallup poll found that only a quarter of Americans have confidence in the high court. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said that the court had “burned whatever legitimacy” it had left with the latest ruling. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said that Supremes should be impeached for lying under oath about their intentions on Roe v. Wade. Meanwhile, the Biden admin has shut down the idea of expanding the court.

Other rights: With the ruling, SCOTUS challenged the idea that the 14th Amendment implied a constitutional right to privacy. But abortion wasn’t the only issue that relied on this interpretation: contraception, same-sex marriage, IVF, and interracial marriage all did, too. Now, those freedoms remain under threat. And in his written opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas explicitly called on the court to “reconsider” the rulings that protected same-sex marriage and contraception. 

The abortion conversation has moved to social networks and exchanging resources. Here are some to help you navigate these times…

• Our state-by-state guide to abortion restrictions.

• Our "Skimm This” special where legal experts break down the SCOTUS decision.

• Our tips for keeping your personal data safe. And why it matters.

• Our convo with advocacy orgs about how they're operating post-Roe.