Looking back over the year, obviously the big news was the Supreme Court’s destruction of Roe v. Wade in June, and the subsequent laws restricting women’s reproductive choices in red states (and some purple states as well). Almost immediately afterward, anti-choice groups in Kansas tried to use a voter initiative to remove the right to abortion from the state constitution. Politicians across the country were paying attention when choice won by almost 60/40 in a heavily Republican state. Women’s fierce resistance was a large part of the reason that Democrats held the Senate and lost few seats in the House in what was widely predicted to be a “red wave” year.
We have a tough road ahead. Because of the Dobbs decision, we’ve seen sexual assault victims as young as 10 being denied abortions. We’ve seen women with ectopic or otherwise dangerous pregnancies being denied lifesaving care until they were at death’s door. We’ve seen women and girls denied necessary medication because it could harm a fetus — even if they weren’t pregnant. Just being “childbearing age” was enough.
We’re not giving up. And the news isn’t all bad.
From Ukraine to Iran, 6 victories for women's rights in 2022:
1. Columbia legalised abortion for the first 24 weeks.
2. Spain improved several sexual assault and reproductive health laws.
3. Ukraine ratified the Istanbul Convention.
4. India supported women's right to choose, especially single women (previously stigmatised).
5. In Iran, women's rights protests have expanded to protest against strict enforcement of Islamic law on many fronts.
6. Several countries elected or inaugurated their first female leaders.
As always, this diary is a group effort.