Abstract
The 2024 presidential election cycle in the USA thrusts reproductive rights and freedoms into the spotlight. Abortion access is a human rights issue. Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, conservative victories enabled significant restrictions on abortion and bodily autonomy, exemplified by the proposed federal 16-week abortion ban that was championed by former President Donald Trump. This shift was bolstered by a conservative Supreme Court majority, a consequence of strategic judicial appointments. June 24, 2024, marked the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, a pivotal moment where 13 states enacted total abortion bans, with varying gestational limits imposed by 11 others. Bans on abortion for child-bearing persons is a violation of their human right to bodily autonomy, right to healthcare, life, liberty, and freedom of choice. While exceptions existed for life-threatening situations in some states, protections were absent for cases of health risks, rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomalies, which underscored the restrictive nature of these laws. This article delves into the intersection of the anti-abortion movement with ideologies based on white nationalism, nativism, and misogyny. Beneath the ostensibly moral and religious rhetoric lies a deeper motivation of white nationalist groups rooted in preserving a perceived white cultural and racial purity, echoed in supremacist ideologies such as the “14 Words.” The movement’s language of “protecting the unborn” has been co-opted to advance exclusionary agendas that harm marginalized communities and perpetuate systemic inequalities. By unraveling these intersections, this article aimed to critically analyze how the anti-abortion movement has operated within broader systems of power and oppression. It challenges prevailing narratives surrounding reproductive rights and justice, offering insights into the socio-political forces shaping policy and discourse in contemporary America.