Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Sotomayor Shuts Down Lawyer Who Claims Overturning Abortion Rights Won't Put LGBTQ Rights In Danger

Sotomayor Shuts Down Lawyer Who Claims Overturning Abortion Rights Won't Put LGBTQ Rights In Danger
Paul Marotta/Getty Images

The United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) heard arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which challenges Mississippi's recently passed ban on abortions after only 15 weeks of gestation. The law violates Roe v. Wade, a historic SCOTUS decision that protected the right to abort a fetus until it is viable outside the womb.

By bringing this case before the Supreme Court, Mississippi is essentially asking the Court to overturn its own decision on abortion rights.


During arguments, Justice Sotomayor cited both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey—which reaffirmed Roe—noting overturning those decisions would impinge on Americans' right to privacy.

While the United States Constitution does not explicitly guarantee privacy, several Supreme Court decisions have interpreted it to do so implicitly. Several cases since Roe have also determined the government has to respect citizens' rights to make their own choices, especially when it involves personal, moral decisions that do not affect others—like abortion.

Justice Sotomayor noted overturning the Court's landmark decision in Roe v. Wade would open an opportunity to challenge other rights gained because of SCOTUS decisions, such as rights for LGBTQ+ individuals.

She noted the Court has:

"recognized them in terms of the religion parents will teach their children."
"We’ve recognized it in their ability to educate at home if they choose…."
"We have recognized that sense of privacy in people’s choices about whether to use contraception or not."
"We’ve recognized it in their right to choose who they’re going to marry."

After Sotomayor spoke, conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked Scott Stewart, Mississippi's Solicitor General who was defending his state's anti-abortion law, whether the court deciding in favor of the law would affect the cases noted by Justice Sotomayor.

Stewart claimed they would not, because those cases had:

"clear rules that have engendered strong reliance interests and that have not produced negative consequences or all the many other negative stare decisis considerations we pointed out."

Stewart essentially claimed decisions decriminalizing gay sex and guaranteeing access to contraceptives haven't had a negative impact like Roe's guaranteed access to abortion has.

This answer prompted Justice Sotomayor to tersely challenge Stewart's words, telling him:

"I just think you’re dissimulating when you say that any ruling here wouldn’t have an effect on those."


There are plenty of people who rely on access to abortion, and there are also plenty of people who would claim gay sex, contraceptives and abortion are all harmful in an attempt to overturn their legality.

Twitter users seemed to largely agree as well.













Lambda Legal's Sharon McGowen seems to agree with Justice Sotomayor as well, telling Bloomberg hard-won victories like Lawrence v. Texas—which legalized gay sex in all states—and Obergefell v. Hodges—which legalized marriage equality:

"were built on the foundation of Roe and Casey and the Court’s other reproductive rights cases."

More from Trending

Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less