Detroit DSA forms Reproductive Rights Working Group
by Lauren Trendler
The Supreme Court leak in May, followed by the Dobbs ruling in June sent shockwaves through the country, effectively undoing what was considered settled law. Of course the rights established by Roe v. Wade have been chipped away by Republicans at the state and federal level for decades. Many of us thought they would never give up the key bargaining chip, the so-called single issue deployed in the culture war to fire up their base and get them to the polls. This time they’ve overplayed their hand- the petition to enshrine abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution, which will appear on the November ballot as Proposal 3, received more signatures than any state ballot proposal in history, and those signatures likely included people across the political spectrum.
The Democratic Party is also complicit in the erosion of this right. They have used this issue as a political football. It is a major driver of fundraising and a popular cudgel to use against leftist critics of the party and the disengaged- “You need to vote for Democrats or else the crazy right wingers will ban abortion.” This time, they have, at a time when Democrats hold the executive and both legislative bodies, which have been no match for the long-range project of the right to control the courts. Democrats have had nearly 50 years to do nationally what this ballot measure, Proposal 3, will do in Michigan. Codifying Roe was among Obama’s many campaign promises abandoned in office.
Detroit DSA endorsed Prop 3 in the spring because as socialists, we believe that the right to an abortion, as well as the full-spectrum of reproductive rights, is health care, and health care is a human right. We stand among several other groups organizing to pass this proposal and will continue demanding reproductive justice beyond Election Day. This is our opportunity to engage volunteers and supporters by connecting the right to abortion to a broader list of demands such as free contraception and Plan B & C, better pre-natal care and resources for those who want to start a family, expanded family leave coverage, and free child care.
Lawmakers on the other side of this issue seek to control who can make decisions. Their own interests will be protected- the ruling class will always be above the law. Restricting abortions is a form of social control that keeps the most vulnerable in society from having agency over their own lives. Do you want the Supreme Court, or some right-wing think tank, or your boss deciding what you do with your body? Deciding if and when you’re ready to have children? Deciding that you must bear the trauma of carrying a non-viable fetus?
We call for free abortion, on demand, without apology! No prohibitive costs for services or travel, no waiting periods, no condescending consent forms from the State, and no shame or guilt for honoring one’s bodily autonomy. New double speak has entered the lexicon, with terms like “elective abortion” or “partial birth abortion” being used to undermine our demands. We know late-term abortions are not flip decisions made out of laziness or changing one’s mind, they are the result of wanted pregnancies becoming medically compromised. In many cases, doctors must act quickly to save the life of the mother. They should not have to face legal red tape in order to do so. We must trust pregnant people and their doctors to make these decisions, not the Federalist Society or the Heritage Foundation.
People from nearby states with more restrictive laws travel to Michigan to get abortions, we must protect their rights to do so. Our State website has a consent form that anyone seeking an abortion must view and sign, which includes information about ultrasounds and compares the size of a developing fetus to fruits and vegetables. We must work to remove these vestiges of the patriarchy. There are several crisis pregnancy centers operating in -the Metro Detroit area that prey on the young and vulnerable and do not provide abortion services. We must call attention to these disingenuous and opportunistic clinics.
Prop 3 has wide support and is polling at 70% approval. While we lack the capacity to significantly influence the outcome, we are heartened by the proposal’s popularity and it’s fired up a base of supporters. Michigan Reproductive Freedom, a campaign led by ACLU Michigan, Michigan Voices, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, has temporarily created a sea for socialists to swim in, similar to Bernie and Rashida’s campaigns. We know that the opposition won’t rest even if Prop 3 is passed and see this as an opportunity to connect with politically active volunteers and supporters and engage them in the socialist vision of what reproductive freedom would mean for our communities. We need to be creative about using this moment to recruit and develop organizers beyond GOTV work.
Detroit DSA members are hosting canvasses every weekend through Election Day. Twenty canvassers showed up to our first event on Sunday, October 2nd in Oak Park and knocked over 600 doors. We gathered afterward to debrief and socialize, encouraging new folks to get involved in our Reproductive Rights Working Group. We are strategizing beyond November 8th, to continue the fight and grow our range of organizing skills as a chapter. In addition to our electoral outreach, we have formed two subcommittees: propaganda and research. Our propaganda team is creating art and messaging to engage people in the socialist vision for reproductive freedom. Our research team has been investigating fraudulent clinics and other barriers to abortion in our state.
We also know that there are more cases on the Supreme Court docket which pose a threat to our civil liberties and would allow the ruling class to further dictate the lives of the working class. From voting rights, marriage equality, to perhaps even Justice Thomas ruling against Loving v. Virginia, we know there is no end to the emiseration they seek to enforce.
However, as socialists we remain optimistic because we are in this fight together.
Reproductive Rights Working Group meets Wednesdays at 6:30pm on Zoom
Upcoming DSA x Prop 3 canvasses:
