It’s been a hell of a year.
Thirteen states with trigger laws, effective immediately. Two conflicting federal court decisions about mifepristone. One viral story of a 10-year-old rape victim, who had to travel hundreds of miles for an abortion, and her doctor, who was reprimanded and fined $3,000 for speaking out about the case. Marches and protests with crowds a thousand strong. An executive order that didn’t help. Countless hours of mandatory wait time spent eyeing the clock.
Despair and chaos, mainly, and a little bit of hope.
In a way, looking back at the past 365 days since the Supreme Court overturned Roe is an inadequate exercise—some might even think it’s a little bit silly. (We should always be moving forward! they say.) But marking the passage of time is what we humans do. Four days until the weekend. Two weeks until I get my period. Shit, now I’m eight days late.
Part of the anti-choice strategy is to overwhelm—to bury us in confusing bills and stupefying legalese, to intimidate us until we’re dizzy. So below, we’re setting the record straight: everything that’s happened on the legislative front since Dobbs. The 10 most salient lessons abortion activists have learned on the front lines this past year. An investigation into our collective burnout and a look at all the new, community-centered ways Gen Zers and millennials are pushing us toward the future we need.
Last year, in our award-winning It’s Not Over package published a few days after the SCOTUS decision, we mapped out the next chapter in the fight for bodily autonomy. Today, we refuel.
Everything That’s Happened Since SCOTUS Struck Down Roe One Year Ago
It’s impossible to keep up with every dangerous, dismaying, and occasionally promising development in the new reproductive rights landscape. Here, we’ve got an easy-to-digest guide to all the major milestones you should know.
The 10 Most Urgent Lessons Reproductive Justice Activists Have Learned for You This Year
Actually, this fight is about so much more than abortion.
Why Aren’t We Doing More About Our Own Dwindling Reproductive Rights?
One year after Dobbs and the burnout is real. But that’s exactly how anti-abortion agitators want you to feel. Here, a quick dose of commiseration followed by a roadmap to get back on track.
“It Was Really Empowering”—5 Women Reflect on Their Medication Abortion Experience
We can’t stress this enough: You can have a safe abortion at home.
What You Should Know About the Abortion Pill Federal Rulings
Two different judges gave opposing rulings on the medication, for starters.
Don’t Believe Sham Lawsuits. Medication Abortion Is Safe and Not Going Anywhere.
In an exclusive op-ed, Kiki Freedman, CEO of leading telemedicine abortion clinic Hey Jane, tells us why extremists are hell-bent on taking away the abortion drug mifepristone—and why that’s more or less bullsh*t.
What It’s Like to Fight for Sterilization Surgery in a Post-Roe World
After the Dobbs ruling, some young women who know they don’t ever want children are seeking straightforward procedures to get their tubes tied or removed. Too bad they have to go up against doctors, their families, and, oh yeah, the patriarchy.
Yes, You Can Find the Morning-After Pill in Some Bars and Coffee Shops Now
There’s a movement to get you free emergency contraception wherever you are (the next day or the night before).
Even on TV, It Was Hard to Get an Abortion in 2022
The end of Roe led to an explosion of abortion storylines that show all the very real barriers to access, according to a year-end review by researchers. But these depictions still miss who needs care the most.
How Reproductive Rights and Abortion Access Fared in the 2022 Midterms
There were some legendary victories.
Exactly How to Get a Safe Abortion
Every single step to take no matter where you live, how much money you have, or what stage of pregnancy you’re in.
Inside the Race to Open an All-Trimester Abortion Clinic
When Roe v. Wade fell, restrictions and bans created an access bottleneck for people seeking abortions, fueling a rising need for later-pregnancy terminations. Here, Cosmo goes behind the scenes of one clinic’s fight to open its doors.
College Students in Idaho Sound Off Against Their Universities’ Abortion Gag Order
“We knew our state didn’t have our backs. But it’s a different feeling when your university is against you.”
The Secret Fleet of Abortion Vans Meeting Patients Near Ban States
Very soon, your nearest abortion clinic might not have a real address or a phone number or a front door. But it could have an engine and wheels. Cosmo takes the first in-depth look at the undercover mobile clinics steering the future of abortion care.
The 5 Midterm Races That Matter Most for Abortion Access
In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Cosmopolitan and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund have identified five races that have the greatest potential to impact reproductive freedom across the country. Tune out the rest of the noise—this is what to watch.
Maybe It’s Time to Hear From Unwanted Children
My mother had me despite misgivings, and I’m still feeling the reverberations today.
Why Deleting Your Period App Won’t Protect Your Privacy in a Post-‘Roe’ World
There’s a lot of uncertainty about how your reproductive health data could be used against you, so we tapped a few experts to advise.
Sorry, SCOTUS, but It’s On
The pro-abortion movement to push us out of this rut has already begun.
If you need an abortion, check out the resources at INeedAnA.com or AbortionFinder.org. You can also dive into the Guttmacher Institute’s resources for more detailed info on the policies in your state.