At an abortion clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas, there was a noticeable change in the atmosphere the morning the Supreme Court delivered its “Roe x Wade” decision. Everything fell apart at that moment.
The doors at the end of the corridor leading to the patient area were instantly closed – sobs could be heard behind them.
The BBC has spent the last three weeks meeting staff and patients at the Little Rock Family Planning Services Clinic.
Now, the Supreme Court, the most important legal body in the country, has revoked the right to abortion.
When the decision was announced, the clinic staff asked us to leave immediately so that they had time to process what had happened on their own.
The companions of the patients in the clinic embraced en masse.
“I thought this country would still care about people. It would still care about women,” said Karen, one of the escorts.
Outside, anti-abortion protesters cheered, but said there was more that needed to be changed.
“This will be a day of celebration, but we will not celebrate until abortion is completely wiped out from our country,” Hoyt Plunkett told the BBC.
Another protester shouted “Be warned!” to people who continued to park their cars at the clinic who did not hear the decision yell.
“My suggestion is that you go back and leave this place of sin, this inequality, this place of evil,” he said.
Image: BBC
In the United States, clinics like those in Little Rock are closing their doors.
Arkansas and 12 other states have a “trigger law” that prohibits or restricts abortion if “Roe x Wade”, the landmark 1973 decision legalizing abortion, is overturned.
These trigger laws began to take effect on Friday morning when the Supreme Court delivered its ruling authorizing states to restrict abortion.
While some states, such as Texas, set a deadline for the law to take effect, in Arkansas it took effect almost immediately.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge told the BBC she supports the trigger law and the Supreme Court ruling. “I guess most of us didn’t think this would happen in our lives,” he said.
Abortion is legal only to save the mother’s life – no exceptions for rape or incest.
Rutledge said, “This is an innocent life we’re talking about. And this innocent life begins with conception.” “Being brought up in bad conditions doesn’t make this innocent child bad.”
People facing an unwanted pregnancy in Arkansas now have fewer options. They can leave the state for an abortion – the closest clinic in a state that allows an abortion is 5 hours away – or they can decide to keep the child.
The state does not have any parental leave, and Medicaid – publicly funded health insurance – only covers low-income mothers for 60 days after giving birth.
Rutledge said the Arkansas government “always supported these mothers” but “must always look for more ways to help fathers who want to be loving parents and ensure that we care for these children.”
Image: BBC
Staff at the Little Rock clinic spent the morning calling patients to cancel appointments and helping them reschedule in different states.
Ashli Hunt, a nurse, burst into tears the morning of the verdict and ran outside for breath.
A few hours later, he said, “No matter how prepared we are for bad news, it’s hard when it finally comes. It’s heartbreaking to call these patients and say ‘Roe x Wade’ was defeated.” , after finding time to process the news.
She has been working in the clinic for 14 years. Ashli said she felt sorry for herself as well as for the patients who lost their right to choose.
“Not only are they taking away the right of women to choose, they are taking away the option of working with what I think I should be doing,” she said. “That includes my choice.” Jennifer Thompson, who had been a patient for over a decade before joining the team, said the clinic helped save her life.
She said that after she had an abortion here (and supported her not to get pregnant), she was so impressed with the care they showed that she started volunteering.
She was eventually hired and graduated in Nursing. His alcohol problems got him fired, but he said the “world’s greatest boss” gave him a second chance by rehiring him as he began to recover.
Image: BBC
Now she says she’s devastated because she can’t help women like she used to.
“I have to tell them, ‘I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do for you. I’m sorry that your boyfriend hits you every day and rapes you all the time, you’re going to have to find another place..go,” she said.
“I mean, I could give them information to help them try, but it’s heartbreaking. This place has literally saved my life a few times.”
Late Friday night, nearly 1,000 protesters gathered outside the State Legislature, mostly to protest the Supreme Court’s decision.
One of the staff at the clinic was there. “Today we mourn. Tomorrow we fight,” he said.
– Text originally published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-61940147
source: Noticias
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