With Roe overturned, women have to leave their states to get an abortion | Fault Lines Documentary

Summary

The "Fault Lines" documentary by Al Jazeera English explores the ramifications following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had provided constitutional protection for abortion rights for nearly half a century. This decision has resulted in a divided America, where abortion is accessible in some states but not in others, leading women to travel across state lines, often at great personal, financial, and emotional cost, to access abortion services. The documentary captures the emotional struggles and fears faced by women and healthcare providers amid a landscape of legal uncertainties and personal risks.

Highlights

• Women in Texas travel to New Mexico for abortions as Texas laws become more restrictive. ✈️
• The Supreme Court's decision has thrown abortion access into legal chaos, with consequences still unfolding. 🎢
• Many women fear legal repercussions from seeking or aiding in abortions due to new state laws. 😨
• Healthcare providers face the threat of heavy fines and imprisonment under new abortion restrictions. 🚨
• Activists and healthcare providers are grappling with the impact of new laws and looking for ways to support women in need. 🛡️

Key Takeaways

• The reversal of Roe v. Wade has created a divided America, with some states offering abortion access and others imposing bans. 🌍
• Women are now forced to travel across state lines, often at great personal and financial cost, to access abortion services. 🚗
• The overturning of Roe v. Wade has led to legal chaos, with states individually deciding on abortion rights amidst considerable confusion. ⚖️
• Healthcare providers and patients face unprecedented legal risks and personal challenges in accessing and delivering abortion services. 🏥
• The documentary highlights the emotional and societal impact of the Supreme Court's decision and the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights. 💪

Overview

In the aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned, the "Fault Lines" documentary delves into the profound changes in abortion access across the United States. With states left to determine their own abortion laws, the country finds itself divided into regions where women can and cannot access reproductive services. This harsh new reality forces many women to embark on challenging journeys across state lines, facing financial burdens and emotional turmoil to obtain the care they need.

The documentary paints a vivid picture of the chaos unleashed by this landmark decision. Healthcare providers are caught in a whirlwind of legislative uncertainty, scrambling to understand new laws while striving to continue caring for their patients. The specter of legal action looms large over both providers and recipients of abortion services, adding an additional layer of fear and mistrust.

As the nation grapples with the societal aftermath, "Fault Lines" captures the deeply personal stories of those affected by the changes. With abortion now a policing issue rather than a healthcare one, women share the lengths they go to in order to maintain control over their own bodies. The battle for reproductive rights rages on, as highlighted through personal testimonies and the tireless work of advocates pushing back against the tide.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 03:00: Introduction and Setting the Scene The first chapter sets the scene by talking about a meeting happening on the first floor where a group of travelers are gathering to discuss the current legal situation in Texas regarding abortion. It is noted that abortion has become illegal in nearly all cases. Furthermore, it mentions that in July, a group of women traveled to New Mexico to obtain abortions, highlighting the impact of the restrictive laws in Texas on women's healthcare options.
• 03:00 - 07:00: The Overturning of Roe v. Wade The chapter discusses the significant event of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that has major repercussions on abortion rights in the United States. It highlights the stark division in the country, with one part having access to abortion and the other without. The conversation reflects on the chaotic and confusing state of affairs following the Supreme Court's decision, emphasizing individual rights to choose if, when, and with whom to have a child.
• 07:00 - 12:00: Immediate Impact and Reactions The chapter discusses the immediate reactions and impacts following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark ruling that had ensured constitutional rights to abortion for nearly 50 years. The dialogue captures the sentiments of people of faith advocating for dignity and rights amidst this backdrop, emphasizing the importance of bodily autonomy and individual rights, particularly concerning abortion. It also highlights the prevailing public opinion in support of abortion rights despite the court's decision.
• 12:00 - 19:00: The New Reality: Legal and Personal Challenges The chapter titled 'The New Reality: Legal and Personal Challenges' discusses the legal battles and personal challenges following significant legal changes in society. It emphasizes a minority's perseverance in influencing these changes over a long period, specifically referencing the reversal of Roe v. Wade after 49 years. The discussion suggests that the changes are not solely about pro-life issues but are perceived as a matter of control and rights.
• 19:00 - 25:00: Crossing State Lines for Abortions The chapter explores the implications of a post-Roe America, focusing particularly on the consequences for individuals residing in states where abortion is becoming illegal, like Texas. It captures the reality of patients having to fly to neighboring states such as New Mexico to access abortion services. The narrative draws a parallel between the current situation and almost 50 years ago, evoking a sense of nostalgia and loss for rights that were once taken for granted, and highlighting the emotional and social impact of this significant change in the legal landscape.
• 25:00 - 33:00: Legal, Social, and Economic Implications The chapter explores the ramifications of the Judicial decision at the state and national level.
• 33:00 - 42:00: Future Considerations and Ongoing Struggles This chapter discusses the evolving and restrictive abortion laws in Texas, tracing back to the origins of the landmark case in 1970. The current legal landscape includes a near-total abortion ban, even in instances of rape and incest. The narrative describes the impactful day of June 24th, when the Roe v. Wade decision was reversed, capturing personal reactions and the implications of this significant legal shift.

With Roe overturned, women have to leave their states to get an abortion | Fault Lines Documentary Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 first floor good morning good morning welcome welcome we're waiting on about another nine travelers today we're gonna gather you guys talk to you about what's happening in texas abortion is now illegal in nearly all cases [Music] in july a group of women here traveled to neighboring new mexico to get abortions
• 00:30 - 01:00 a scene that's likely repeating itself all over the country today's a big day because you made the choice today we believe you have the right to decide when if and with whom you have a child there are two americas now one with access to abortion and one without what's going on in our country is really crazy the supreme court has said to you that
• 01:00 - 01:30 you have no rights and we are here to say that people of faith believe that you have dignity and worth and should have those rights and we're going to do what we can two weeks earlier the supreme court had overturned roe v wade the decision that made abortion a constitutional right for nearly half a century it is about our bodies it's about our autonomy it is about our own rights the majority of people in this country support when it's abortion rights
• 01:30 - 02:00 it's a minority that has brought these changes upon us because they worked long and hard and they were effective it took 49 years for us to see the death of roe v wade but we saw it right so you don't think this is about pro-life i don't think it is then what is it about control don't take away our rights
• 02:00 - 02:30 fault lines examines what it means to live in a post-row america we've come full circle abortion is going illegal in texas we're flying patients to new mexico from dallas that's where almost 50 years ago it felt like someone who's been around for a long time and we've sort of taken for granted and they're gone and you feel like i don't live in the same world anymore
• 02:30 - 03:00 [Music] we traveled to texas to witness the end of roe v wade mississippi's loan abortion clinic plans to close today following the state legal battle and in iowa courts are wrestling over a proposed 24-hour waiting period
• 03:00 - 03:30 for procedures a lot in flux texas has had some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country and it's where the landmark case was born in 1970 [Music] now there's a near total ban on abortion here even in cases of rape and incest june 24th we learned that roe was reversed take me through that morning i was just getting ready to walk out the door and i got the text from my office
• 03:30 - 04:00 manager just said row overturned i came into the clinic and it was so quiet it felt like the air had been sucked from the room all of us were in different stages of grief but at the same time having to tell the patients what's going on yeah not in the state of texas like at all it's been a complete rollercoaster ride i mean the law and everything is changing around us i just i have no idea what the future
• 04:00 - 04:30 holds for our clinic the supreme court decision means abortion rights are up to each state to decide setting off legal chaos give me one second i have to place one hold we're kind of in limbo right now with our lawyers trying to get the austin women's health center stopped providing abortions on the day row was overturned but four days later they got some news so i can't know
• 04:30 - 05:00 okay okay so we are able to see you for the initial consultation for the abortion today what just happened so essentially it sounds like we may have been given clearance so we may be able to go ahead and do abortions today we know that this may not last for very long the state can come back and overturn that but we've started calling patients to say come on back in if you want to order and for now we are able to resume services
• 05:00 - 05:30 um we don't know how long that will last but well we're not sure we can have up to a couple hours we can have up to a couple days it really just depends and so people could actually get here and then they could reverse it while the patients are sitting here yes and then what would happen we'd have to tell them now and send them away again kind of thing and then we don't know if you're able to come after the appointment today we can definitely fit you in for today this 27 year old patient is relieved she was able to make it in
• 05:30 - 06:00 there's no way i feel like i could comfortably bring a human being into this world i'm not opposed to it you know it's just i'm not ready and i feel like it's my choice to be ready so i don't have to put up a kid in adoption where there's like an overflow system so i feel like this was my only option that i felt comfortable with she first came in last week but the next day roe was overturned wait happened on friday
• 06:00 - 06:30 so i was completely freaking out i was like crying i didn't know what to do i've been asking friends in mexico if they could get access to something down there asking friends in colorado california if i can like stay with them a couple weeks definitely living in a nightmare right now it's like what's next like what else are they gonna you know take away from me she asked us not to identify her because she's afraid of facing criminal charges
• 06:30 - 07:00 under a texas law that was passed last year private citizens can be awarded up to ten thousand dollars for reporting anyone involved in an illegal abortion you can come back this way with me we're just gonna go straight into this room i took extra precautions just so they couldn't track me technology-wise i downloaded a vpn that made me seem like i'm in california like i bought like a pre-pre credit card to buy
• 07:00 - 07:30 a virtual mailbox in california just in case i needed to ship the abortion pills there and when you got that call saying that you could come how did you feel a little still scared on what may happen to like the doctors in the future meet in the future but very relieved that i'm given another opportunity to do this while this chaos is happening i've spoken to a lot of people here who are absolutely terrified about what this new ban is going to mean for them
• 07:30 - 08:00 they're afraid that they're going to be spied on by the government or by their neighbors and criminalized for ending their pregnancies there's a lot of confusion and misinformation out there about what is going to happen to them and the stress here is really palpable abortion access is very different now than before row we didn't have the internet we didn't have abortion pills so what is happening
• 08:00 - 08:30 is that abortion has been turned from a healthcare issue into a policing issue people do have a digital trail and if there is a local prosecutor who does want to pursue charges against someone then people do have to be careful for today at least dr rabino can give this abortion pill to her patient right and this one you just swallow it like a regular pill thank you you're welcome
• 08:30 - 09:00 it would be one of the last times she could do that here yes i will i will come on in here oh man i'm so glad we got you in thank you you're welcome hon it's really punishing women in an extraordinary way are you feeling okay yeah i was just crying because i'm like and it's not just that they're going to just settle down and have babies
• 09:00 - 09:30 they were getting abortions before we weighed they're going to be getting them in about the same numbers after if history holds true it's just a matter of where they're going to get them how they're going to get them minion will get them at much higher risk to their health and life and they post news all the time dr curtis boyd has been an abortion provider for more than 50 years as a young physician in texas in the 1960s he witnessed the impact illegal abortions had on women there were a lot of women having abortions before roe v wade and we
• 09:30 - 10:00 didn't realize that because they showed the emergency room we thought they were having a miscarriage they were incomplete abortions and when roe v wade was passed those women disappeared that those wards of the hospital emptied out [Music] for decades he and his wife have run abortion clinics in texas and new mexico this center that you're showing me is the first clinic that was opened in texas after
• 10:00 - 10:30 roe v wade after roe versus that's right in that time they faced threats of violence and a stream of abortion restrictions it's been getting worse exactly it's been a cascade kept escalating when we started in the 70s the assumption was that a freestanding abortion clinic would be necessary for a few years but abortion would be part of mainstream medicine our work would be done and we could move on
• 10:30 - 11:00 to whatever we chose next you know it wasn't what we expected at all i think very few people prior to trump's election foresaw a complete reversal of roe versus wade this is a very frightening time to face the possibility of getting pregnant
• 11:00 - 11:30 this is actually the capstone to securing women's full rights the right to control their own body and being able to ultimately make that decision for themselves and if a woman can't do that she's never going to receive ultimate equality are you ready to take care of a child is the situation you're in really healthy and suitable for this baby you're going to bring in are you okay if the dad doesn't stay and
• 11:30 - 12:00 walks out can you afford to pay the rent are you gonna be able to put food on the table like a lot of people don't understand it's a lot that comes with that because when you have a kid it's no longer just you the birth control shay became a single mom at 21. i struggled when i had my son and then his dad didn't make it no better you know and i'm working two jobs sometimes and like it's a lot because you're not spending time with them that's why i had to strive to be
• 12:00 - 12:30 something different better like i needed to get more money because it wasn't going to work it wasn't now at 40 she found out she was pregnant again the day after roe was overturned i'm ready to live life once i'm about to be 19 i ain't trying to start over that's um i'm good it's just not what you want it's just not what i want i should be able to figure out what i want to do with my body and no one should have that right to tell me
• 12:30 - 13:00 to get an abortion she has to leave texas and the only state that borders it where abortions are still legal is new mexico it's one of a number of so-called sanctuary states now inundated with abortion patients from across the u.s these are states like california or really all of the west coast it's the northeast the mid-atlantic it's illinois colorado new mexico these states are holding back the tide
• 13:00 - 13:30 of abortion bans to the best of their ability it's hard for anyone you know if she's got to go out of states it's more expensive she's got child care babies yes she's losing work so all of that's a hardship for any of us but for lower income women it becomes impossible there are a number of programs to meet the need including one by dr boyd and a religious coalition good morning welcome welcome
• 13:30 - 14:00 they're flying patients like shea to the boyd's abortion clinic in new mexico the trip will take them 17 hours patients qualify based on their income travel costs and a portion of their clinic fees are covered with the help of donations they fly in the morning if they're abortion that day fly back in the late afternoon so we want to demonstrate that it can be done
• 14:00 - 14:30 this is the first group the religious coalition is taking to new mexico since roe was overturned things are a little different now that the supreme court decision has come out so just be as discreet as possible i always say that we're a women's church group and we're going to meet our sister church in albuquerque and that's all they need to know there's some uncertainty about the legal and safety risks of helping people travel for abortions is there anybody who hasn't been on an airplane before raise your hand no yes
• 14:30 - 15:00 have not been on an airplane these women are putting their life on the line to get their life in order we do not believe you are sinners don't feel like you're doing something bad look at this as a way for you to be a better you your life matters all our guests to please proceed today as their craft isn't the boarding process the hard thing is many women will not be able to find help because there won't be enough money to go around
• 15:00 - 15:30 so are you guys starting to see a lot of more traffic coming through so much more so much more now
• 15:30 - 16:00 [Music] what is next because we are losing rights by the day and this is crazy i'm a christian too but they're making you feel like you're doing something you shouldn't do and that's not true they're only looking at one thing i don't understand how you kick back something that's been in effect for so long
• 16:00 - 16:30 what we had in 1973 was an understanding that abortion was in this scope of privacy in somebody's life where the government cannot interfere and now that has been undermined substantially meaning that these other rights around whether it's lgbtq contraception marriage may be at stake it is not our job to carry young women across state lines
• 16:30 - 17:00 so that they can get an abortion that they cannot get in their state because now this right has been taken away what's going to happen is we'll go back to seeing illegal abortions in texas this is going to lead to women dying this is going to kill women there will be a higher rate of complications and a higher rate of death and many women will not be able to get their abortion will go ahead and deliver their baby which is what the state wants
• 17:00 - 17:30 [Music] awesome messenger can i help you it's now five days post row at the austin women's health center and the phones haven't stopped ringing i have to place you on hold give me one second awesomeness health center can i help you okay give me one second at the place on
• 17:30 - 18:00 hold just 24 hours before a state court had granted them clearance to continue performing abortions for a short time it's very chaotic everywhere now that time is up so as most of you are aware yesterday we got the temporary restraining order but last night basically they said that they still intend to prosecute abortion providers or try to that provide abortions during the time when we have the restraining
• 18:00 - 18:30 order which is completely unprecedented but this is like scary time so we don't know what people will do or not do and so we're taking a pause we had patients scheduled we're gonna call them let them know that right now we're in another holding pattern their lawyers warned them they could face fines of a hundred thousand dollars and up to five years in prison for providing an abortion you know i'm usually pretty much full steam ahead but i you know
• 18:30 - 19:00 yeah don't want to go to jail i don't want to go to jail i don't want yeah yeah i got to put we got to protect ourselves so well this is all happening within 24 hours yeah within hours yeah and all because they're making all of these laws so unclear for us it's all on purpose to cause this chaos to you know they have one goal in mind take away our rights and that's it that's what we're thinking about mass confusion right now it's completely
• 19:00 - 19:30 chaotic absolutely for the providers and for the patients yeah and this is it for now for now for now until i hear otherwise unfortunately that has been overturned so we're back to not providing services i know i'm sorry do you want some information i can give you like some websites that you can try um have you had any other ultrasounds with this pregnancy no okay with dr rubino no
• 19:30 - 20:00 longer able to provide abortions she does what she can to help her patients find other options and you're thinking you're pretty early right yes from what you know courtney is 37 years old and four weeks pregnant um where yeah where are you in your decision-making process i mean have you like made a decision my decision is all over the place because honestly the law is all over the place it changes everything when you stop someone from having the choice of their own pregnancy outcome and you force them
• 20:00 - 20:30 into your choice here's where we get into kind of some tricky areas yeah obviously this whole thing is tricky we have such inequality that for some it's as easy as okay let's take a weekend trip to colorado to get your abortion and for someone else it's a completely life-altering thing that you have no control over and you're forced to give birth the trajectory of those two people's lives are completely different well the drive is so far yeah i don't see myself taking no plane in new mexico
• 20:30 - 21:00 so the drive right 12 hours and 12 hours back getting a hotel food gas and i'm not doing all that i'm just gonna keep it if i can't get it done because i don't think it's worth it like the majority of women seeking an abortion courtney's already a parent and she isn't sure she wants to become one again especially since she lost her job just days before is this something you've been kind of like worrying about yeah because it's
• 21:00 - 21:30 not something that was planned and i only found out about this two days ago so you have barely had time to even process yeah i'm still in shock she doesn't have any family support nearby and her relationship with her boyfriend is unstable so what are you gonna do if i'm not able to get it i would be looking into the daycare options baby center and find out what people do that work overnight so maybe you would just have it
• 21:30 - 22:00 yes i would when people cannot travel for abortion care we will see people carry to term and these states are ill-prepared to help these people with a new baby we do not have the safety net that we need to support these families and so this is going to be incredibly difficult for these patients when we last spoke to courtney she told us she decided to travel to get an
• 22:00 - 22:30 abortion but clinics in the three closest states were booked for weeks [Music] i packed my bag so i can head out to florida and i'm about to leave she drove for more than two days from texas to florida by herself i am nearing interstate 10 which is the interstate i'm gonna take people who have been making these laws and carrying on this whole culture have never really cared still don't care
• 22:30 - 23:00 we mean nothing to them nothing will be fighting back to support abortion rights and to roll back these bans we have been plummeted to the bottom of a cliff and we have to claw our way up again already the things we were told that would make a post-roll world manageable
• 23:00 - 23:30 are falling like dominoes and more is coming we have to defend against all of that as much as we are looking to protect and expand access to care but for abortion opponents it's also not over they are not satisfied with the overturning of roe if they want to fight we'll give them a fight they want to further stigmatize and criminalize abortion i'm looking at this
• 23:30 - 24:00 parking lot here it's a lot of texas plates out there that people from texas are coming here to get an abortion and we're going to do everything we can to make sure that an abortion free state is not just reality in texas but reality in new mexico as well it's this great movement that's been being carried on that we didn't really recognize i mean they had a long plan and they executed it
• 24:00 - 24:30 you guys please come and talk to us so now we've got a long hard grow ahead of us the supreme court has done our backup now and won't be for a long time [Applause] even though the majority of us do not think this is right we don't have the power anymore so start looking at what's next
• 24:30 - 25:00 we're going backwards we're not going forward it's a very disturbing time to be an american when i feel like this is not my america this is not the country i was raised in or raised to believe in [Music]