If you thought anti-abortion extremists were going to stop at banning abortion, punishing pregnant people, and allowing bounty hunters to sue abortion providers, you’d be wrong. Politicians across the country have proposed bills taking aim at our right to discuss abortion care, to express the benefits of being able to determine if and when to become pregnant, and even to create art about reproductive health care. They’re continuing their attacks on our reproductive freedom by going after our right to free speech and our access to life-saving information. This isn’t just about taking away people’s decisions during pregnancy; politicians are trying to erase our health care needs, our stories and experiences, and our existence.

Bills in Iowa and Texas were recently introduced that force internet providers to block websites that give information about abortion and allow anyone to sue an internet provider who fails to block those websites. In order to avoid the risk of lawsuits, internet service providers — which may even include places that supply internet access like colleges and libraries — would be forced to block any website that discusses abortion, including those of abortion funds working around the clock to make sure pregnant people know their options for accessing abortion and where they may need to travel. The Texas law even targets specific websites that would have to be blocked, some of which are simply sites to get educational information about abortion pills and their safety. Anti-abortion extremists are clearly aiming to ensure people who need abortions in their state can’t even learn about their options.

At the same time as states are trying to shut down access to information about abortion, public colleges are responding to legislative attacks from extremist politicians by curtailing free speech and artistic expression — even going beyond the bounds of the law out of fear they may face political punishment. Last summer, for example, Indiana University told faculty that they had committed a policy violation by writing a letter in support of a colleague and opposing a proposed abortion ban in the legislature.

More recently, Lewis-Clark State College announced that it would pull several artists pieces addressing abortion from an upcoming exhibition, “Unconditional Care,” for fear of violating the state’s No Public Funds for Abortion Act. A far cry from providing unconditional care to its community, the college is censoring work that gives voice to a range of topics that are often heavily stigmatized and rarely spoken about.

American Civil Liberties Union

An Idaho College Censored Their Reproductive Health Care Art, But These Artists Won’t be Silenced | ACLU

Three artists whose work was removed from an exhibit at Lewis-Clark State College speak out about attempts to silence stories about abortion.

We know that freedom of speech, artistic expression, and reproductive freedom go hand in hand. We must be allowed to talk about our experiences and exchange information about our health care in order to truly make decisions about our bodies and our families free from political interference. We cannot allow extremist politicians to get in between us and the information we need, or to tell us what we can and can’t say — online or off.

The ACLU is fighting in courts and state legislatures across the country to stop bills like these (and many more), but we need you to stand with us. Whether you live in a state where politicians are taking away your free speech and abortion rights or not, you can make a difference in this fight. Join the ACLU in fighting back against attacks on abortion access and other civil liberties across the country by signing up for information and ways to take action below.

Across the country, the ACLU, allied organizations, volunteers, and organizers are mobilizing together in the ongoing battle for our reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy — regardless of which state we call home. When anti-abortion extremists attempt to enforce bans on abortion, we show up. When they prioritize abortion bans over legislation that would actually improve their constituents’ lives, we show up. When overzealous prosecutors go after health care providers and patients seeking abortion care, we show up. When it’s time to make our voices heard in the ballot box and the streets, we show up.

Here are some of the ways we’ve shown up to protect abortion access in states across the country.

ACLU / Erin Kirkland

In Michigan, with coalition partners, the ACLU of Michigan co-led the fight to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion, prenatal care, birth control, and all decisions regarding reproductive health, in the state constitution last November. Building on that historic win, our affiliate supported the repeal of an abortion ban from 1931 that threatened access to care after Roe v. Wade was overturned. The bill to repeal the 92-year-old law is now before Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to sign it soon.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In Virginia, a special election for a state senate seat drew national attention earlier this year because of its potential to impact abortion access in the state. ACLU National sprung to action with strategic consultation and on-the-ground support from the ACLU of Virginia by launching a voter education campaign to ensure that every constituent knew the candidates’ stances on abortion rights. With a clear understanding of the stakes of the election, voters rejected a candidate that advocated for limiting abortion access, and elected a candidate who increased the pro-reproductive freedom majority in the state senate — which ultimately halted Governor Youngkin’s priority 15-week abortion ban in its tracks.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In Nebraska, we’ve been working tirelessly to mobilize supporters against a ban on abortion around six weeks of pregnancy, before many know they are pregnant, by mobilizing Nebraskans to take actions digitally and in person at the capitol, ensuring their voices are heard and abortion access isn’t taken away without a fight.

Photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.

In North Carolina, we’ve kept up the pressure on the state legislature as rumors swirled about an extreme abortion ban that politicians are considering behind closed doors, which has been delayed because of deep divisions among forced-pregnancy legislators. We won’t just wait quietly for legislators to strip our rights away — we’re forcing a public debate by engaging businesses of all sizes and doctors across the state to spread the word about the severe harms that banning abortion will inflict on North Carolinians.

ACLU / James Matthew Daniel

In New York, a broad coalition of state advocates helped to advance the Equal Rights Amendment through a final vote in the legislature earlier this year, officially sending the measure to the November 2024 ballot for voters to consider. If passed, the amendment would prohibit discrimination by the government based on a person’s ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, or sex — including their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes — protecting people’s reproductive freedom and access to abortion.

The strength of the ACLU is rooted in our deep legal and policy expertise and our presence in every state, D.C., and Puerto Rico. But we don’t, and couldn’t, do this work alone: We collaborate with state and local allies to work on emerging issues in every zip code across the country. While abortion access and our bodily autonomy continually face dogged attacks, we will respond with relentless advocacy and won’t stop fighting until every person can get the essential health care they need — no matter where they live.