Abstinence-Only Programs: Ideology Over Science
Funding for "abstinence-only" programs, which prohibit teaching about the use of condoms and contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and STDs, increased dramatically during the Bush administration. "Abstinence-only" programs have never been proven effective and may result in riskier behavior by teenagers.
Americans Support Responsible Sex Education
The public overwhelmingly supports age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education, yet anti-choice policymakers have increasingly promoted restrictive abstinence-only programs that censor information about contraception and STD/HIV prevention strategies.
Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
On January 18, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, a case brought by Planned Parenthood against the state of New Hampshire seeking to prohibit the state from enforcing a parental notification law.
Behind the Ban: Politics and South Dakota's Abortion Ban
For two decades after Roe v. Wade, South Dakota imposed few restrictions on abortion. But beginning in the 1990s, national events—including changes in Congress, the Supreme Court, and the White House—galvanized far-right activists in South Dakota and elsewhere. Anti-choice politicians and organizations began using state legislatures as laboratories to experiment with new restrictions on women and doctors, pushing the boundaries of the law and, in many cases, attempting to ban abortion almost entirely.
Biography of Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
Chief Justice Roberts is the youngest member of the Supreme Court, practically guaranteeing that he will guide the Court for many years to come. Chief Justice Roberts has already demonstrated his anti-choice position on the Court by voting to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, a law that undoes critical protections previously afforded by Roe v. Wade.
Biography of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy
Kennedy has been touted by many as a so-called "swing" vote on the issue of a woman's right to choose. Despite the fact that Kennedy refused to overturn Roe v. Wade in the Casey plurality opinion, his other reproductive rights decisions show that his support for the right to choose is tenuous. Most recently, he authored the Carhart opinion upholding the Federal Abortion Ban, putting women’s health in serious jeopardy.
Biography of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
Justice Scalia is an extremely anti-choice member of the Court. He consistently votes to limit a woman's right to choose, and has called for Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey to be overruled.
