MADISON, Wis. — At the Abortion Action Fair Sunday, the Socialist Feminist Collective of Madison brought together many groups to provide information and resources about abortions in Wisconsin.
According to Katie from the Collective, the event’s goal was “To make sure people know what their options are about what this new world is that we’re navigating legally”.
Wisconsin differs from some of its neighbors on abortion laws. In fact, abortion is legally permissible at clinics in neighboring states such as Minnesota and Illinois.
Katie explained, “the Wisconsin constitution from 1849 has a ban on abortion, now since the Dobbs decision, since the Supreme Court invalidated Roe vs Wade, it means that this is the standing piece of legislation in the state of Wisconsin which means that people can’t get abortions”.
While the Socialist Feminist Collective has started a petition to strike this law down, other groups at Sunday’s event are helping women in search of a legal abortion. At POWERS, their phones are buzzing around the clock. They provide funding and logistical support and set out-of-state appointments for those seeking abortions.
As of June 24, 2022, providing abortion is illegal in Wisconsin because of a law still in place from 1849. This 173-year-old law criminalizes the provider of abortion services but has protections from criminalizing the pregnant person seeking an abortion. All clinical abortion services (except to save the life of a pregnant person) are now on hold in Wisconsin.
For women still seeking abortions, Lexy from POWERS ensures that crossing state lines to get an abortion is completely legal, and Lexy facilitates making that happen, “I can get them funding resources, to get them, like whether transportation support like bus passes, or help with childcare, or help with like actual funding for an abortion”.
She went on to say that POWERS still has more funding to help set up abortions across state lines, and will even set up an appointment at the most convenient clinic.
While Governor Evers has taken legal action to rescind the 1849 Wisconsin law, many pro-life advocates are working to keep it in place. “they’re fighting really really really hard to make sure that that law stays in affect they’re fighting really hard to make sure that we can not cross state lines” Lexy said.
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