LINDALE, Texas — Days after a Supreme Court draft leaked suggesting the overturn of the landmark legal Roe v. Wade, Texans are preparing for what could be the end of legalized abortions in the state.
The potential overturn of Roe v. Wade wasn't a complete shock for Texas abortion advocacy organization Avow.
Caroline Duble, Avow political director, said, "it just came sooner" than expected. Regardless the organization is still "very burnt out and sad."
From the Texas "Heartbeat" bill to SCOTUS' Roe v. Wade potential abortion overturn, Duble said it felt like hit after hit for Avow.
She added the draft decision is an "absolute crisis and an assault on our rights, our liberty and our humanity."
If the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade stands, abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest will be a criminal offense in Texas, under House Bill 1280.
For Living Alternatives Program Director Lauren Roncancio, this is a "step in the right direction of recognizing a baby is a life."
Living Alternatives is a social services organization based out of Lindale that helps pregnant women with resources, such as pregnancy tests, sonograms, "mommy" mentoring, and housing for those in need.
For Avow, living in a "post-Roe" world will have adverse affects, especially for "Black, indigenous, people of color, disabled folks, trans people, young people, minors and low income communities" because they face "the most barriers to getting out of state," Duble said.
With the possibility of a total ban of abortions in Texas, places like Living Alternatives anticipate more pregnant women to utilize their services.
Roncancio said the organization is all about "helping women in a situation and giving them more than one option."
Duble believes illegalizing abortions won't stop the procedures from happening, but women will instead "look in to resources to self manage their abortions."
Duble said Avow is resilient and is committed to fighting for unrestricted abortion access, but needs the community support.
She said the organization also needs solidarity from other movements because past decisions have shown that the issue of "abortion is a testing ground for the other types of cruel legislation that they intend to pass like on LGBTQ rights, or civil rights."