The WNBA Players Association reacted to the United States Supreme Court’s decision to repeal women’s constitutional right to abortion by focusing on voting rights, urging people to “vote because our lives depend on it. Because they do.”
In a statement, the WNBPA said, “This decision represents a branch of government that is not in contact with the country and which has a sense of human dignity.”
“We need to understand that when we vote, it is about choosing officials and linking those issues to policies and laws that are consistent with our values,” the WNBPA said.
The Supreme Court ruled on Friday by a margin of 5-4 votes. Wade reversed the decision, which is expected to ban abortion in about half the states. The decision comes more than a month after a draft of Justice Samuel Aleito’s draft was leaked, indicating that the court is ready to take this important step and has the support of a conservative majority of the court.
Alito, who wrote the final opinion, wrote that the original 1972 decision on Raw and the 1992 decision confirming it (Casey v. Planned Parenthood) were “wrong in those days and should be revoked.”
Aleto wrote that the power to regulate abortion rests with the political branches of government, not the courts. The states have to decide.
“That is why we believe that the constitution does not provide for the right to abortion. Rowe and Casey must be abolished and the right to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives, ”Alito wrote.
Justices Neil Gorsach, Brett Cavano, Amy Connie Barrett and Clarence Thomas joined the majority. Chief Justice John Roberts voted in favor of Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks and asked the case to go to the Supreme Court, but did not vote to overturn Rowe.
The decision is expected to ban abortions in nearly half of the states, some of which will begin soon.
The court’s three liberal judges wrote in a joint statement that the ruling would “grieve” millions of American women who would lose “basic constitutional protections.” The WNBPA statement said abortion restrictions “could result in higher maternal mortality while depriving everyone of the right to reproductive freedom.”
In September, several prominent female players, including soccer star Megan Rapino and basketball standouts Diana Torasi and Sue Bird, joined the 500 athletes and groups who signed a friend-of-the-court briefing for the judges. The group consisted of 26 Olympians, 73 professional athletes and various athletes associations. She argued that abortion rights contribute to the development of women’s sports and expressed concern that future players would suffer without that protection.
The long-awaited reign, hailed by the Pro-Life Conservatives, was opposed by several notable players on social media.
Tennis legend Billy Jean King wrote: “This decision will not lead to an abortion … It is a sad day in the United States of America.”
Portland Trail Blazers defender Josh Hart wrote: “For the women of this country … I’m sorry.”
The report includes information from the Associated Press.
