Historically, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves hasn’t answered questions about whether his office would attempt to target plan-B pills or other types of contraceptives. Now, in the wake of a national uproar about abortion and the possible overturning of Roe V. Wade, he said that the state of Mississippi would not target contraceptives.
Major cities across the country saw protesters on Saturday march in response to the notion that Supreme Court could overturn Roe V. Wade—a legal precedent that has stood for nearly half a century. The leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court that suggested the court's conservative majority would overturn the landmark ruling. This caused activists to speak of the need to mobilize quickly as Republican-led states, like Mississippi, are poised to enact tighter restrictions.
From Memphis to Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and beyond, tens of thousands participated in separate events, where phrases like “Bans off our bodies” and “My body, my choice” were widely chanted.
The Magnolia state happens to be one of 13 states that have passed so-called “trigger laws,” which would take effect immediately in the case that Roe V. Wade was overturned.
On Monday, Reeves said during a news conference that the state of Mississippi will not make it harder for women to obtain contraceptives. He said that his next step in the pro-life movement is to prove that being pro-life isn’t just about being anti-abortion.
“We’ve got to focus on making sure that those individual moms and expecting moms have access to what they need during that pregnancy,” Reeves said.
Earlier in the month, Reeves appeared on national news shows expressing his views on abortion. With mid-term elections looming, state lawmakers and political analysts alike responded after those May 8 appearances:
