NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Today marks the one year anniversary of the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision.
If you aren't familiar with Roe v. Wade, it is the U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion back in 1973. One year ago, this decision was reversed.
Fifty years later, it is once again up to the states and their elected officials to decide whether or not abortion is legal.
In the midst of this anniversary, the Tennessee Right to Life is celebrating.
“We are proud of the work we did this year in defending the Human Life Protection Act against efforts to weaken its efficacy. All the effort that went into defending our law this past session was well worth it knowing that there are babies alive today because of it. We will continue to make sure Tennessee remains the most pro-life state in the country,” Will Brewer, Legislative Liaison for Tennessee Right to Life, said in a statement.
The Human Life Protection Act was passed in Tennessee and put into effect 30 days after Roe v. Wade was overturned. It bans abortion in Tennessee, with certain exceptions.
According to the law, these exceptions include "situations where the abortion is necessary to prevent the death of pregnant women or prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function."
The Tennessee Right to Life said since this law passed, an estimated 10,000 unborn children have been saved from abortion in Tennessee. Many pro-life events are being held in Tennessee to commemorate the anniversary.
Stacy Dunn, President of Tennessee Right to Life, said celebration is good but there is still a lot more to be done.
"We are celebrating that with the Dobbs decision, our Tennessee law now reflects our Tennessee values and protects the right to life of our most vulnerable citizens. These events will allow pro-life Tennesseans to celebrate Dobbs and to recommit ourselves to working for a day when abortion is not only illegal but unthinkable. The Supreme Court decision last year was only the beginning,” she said.
However, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee shared a different message, one focused on maintaining the fight for choice.
President and CEO Ashley Coffield said Planned Parenthood has never just been about abortion; it is about people having a safe place to talk about the healthcare that they need.
In a video message Facebook post, Coffield talked about the progress that is being made even in the midst of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. She said patients are being navigated out of state for abortion care, including resources and travel funds if needed. She said that in Tennessee, they have new areas of preventative and primary care, gender affirming healthcare through telehealth and in person in Knoxville, and a new health center that is being built in 2024.
"Most importantly, we have a new and renewed focus and energy around our advocacy work," Coffield said. "We are one of the most powerful, loudest, most effective progressive voices in the state. We are standing arm in arm for medicaid expansion, for trans rights, for gun safety... in coalition with our partners who feel the same way we do...we are playing the long game, and we are ultimately going to win."
Since last year, 14 states have banned most abortions, several have kept abortion legal while cases move through the court system and 20 states have made abortions legal.
