Ms. Must-Reads: Oct. 7

In the lead-up to November’s elections, we’ve seen a lot of lies from certain Republican candidates, when it comes to abortion. And last week’s vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio was no exception.

For starters, there were Vance’s blatantly contradictory statements about his own track record on abortion. He claimed to have “never supported a national ban,” then turned around and said he supported “setting some minimum national standard”—which, of course, amounts to a ban.

He did the same when it came to IVF—claiming to support it, and saying he wants to “[make] fertility treatments more accessible.” But as Ms. editor Roxy Szal pointed out, “in June, Vance had his chance to do just that—to vote yes on a Democrat-led bill to enshrine access to in vitro fertilization. He voted against it.”

“Much of what [Vance] said—especially on abortion, IVF and childcare—were lies, engineered for women to let their guards down and to distance himself from his extreme views, most of which are ripped right from Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership,” wrote Szal in Ms. Debates are, of course, essentially a spectacle—but when it comes down to it, the confusing and contradictory rhetoric of Vance and his fellow Project 2025 buddies spells danger for the women of America. Vance, like Trump, supports sending the question of abortion rights “back to the states”—which, as we know, has resulted in our current crisis, whereby women are literally dying or suffering horrible medical complications due to being unable to access abortion care.

Even as Republican-controlled state legislatures are enacting total bans or severe restrictions on abortion access, more state courts are striking down these bans as violating state constitutions. In Georgia last week, a court struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban—which will allow abortions to resume up to 22 weeks [UPDATE: the ban has since been reinstated]. In Wisconsin last year, providers resumed abortions up to 15 weeks after a ruling from a lower court struck down a long-dormant state law; in Montana, courts have blocked multiple laws intended to restrict abortion. And in Nevada and Pennsylvania, abortion restrictions have been struck down as unconstitutional under state Equal Rights Amendments. Of course, lower court decisions on abortion can be overturned on appeal by state supreme courts (which we saw happen in Texas earlier this year).

In striking down the Georgia ban, the judge wrote: “Women are not some piece of collectively owned community property the disposition of which is decided by majority vote… It is generally men who promote and defend laws like the LIFE Act, the effect of which is to require only women — and, given the socio-economic and demographic evidence presented at trial, primarily poor women, which means in Georgia primarily Black and brown women — to engage in compulsory labor, i.e., the carrying of a pregnancy to term at the Government’s behest.”

To that, we say: amen.

As election day approaches, we’re also keeping an eye on a number of voting-related lawsuits in courts across the country that could have a profound impact on the ability of Americans to vote in November’s elections. As documented by the New York Times, in Arizona, Republicans have filed several cases that oppose new rules that prohibit harassment of voters and election officials (you can’t make this stuff up). In that same state, as well as several others, Republicans are also filing lawsuits that would purge voter rolls. And Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Georgia have all seen similar attacks that seek to suppress the vote through a variety of means.

Remember to make a plan, vote early wherever you can, and vote as if your life depends on it.

Onward,

Kathy Spillar

Executive Editor

P.S. — Head to the polls in style like a true childless cat lady with our latest offering from the Ms. store. And browse the rest of our polls 2024 lookbook—whether you’re looking to wear fierce feminist statements, or words of resistance from Vice President Kamala Harris or Justice Sonia Sotomayor, we’ve got it all.

This week's Ms. Must-Reads:

• "JD Vance Is Lying on Abortion" —?Roxy Szal"
• "Abortion in Georgia Can Resume Up to 22 Weeks of Pregnancy After Court Ruling" —?Shefali Luthra, the 19th
• "‘Women Are Afraid to Get Pregnant’: How the Texas Abortion Ban Denies Life-Saving Care" —?Bonnie Fuller
• "Documentary ‘The Man Card’ Illuminates Gender’s Role in Presidential Campaigns and Challenges Men to Get Involved" — Rob Okun