On Friday, May 24, the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, overturning Roe v. Wade, and ending both the constitutional right to an abortion and the near 50-year precedent set by Roe.

“The first thing I felt when I read the news that morning was complete shock,” Sabrina Kim ‘25 said. “Yes, we all read early leaks and accounts that this was something up for debate and yes, we knew that they were drafting this opinion, but to see it written and very much official was completely gutting. Immediately [after the news broke] followed [the shock of the ruling], of course, with anger that this could ever happen and fear and sorrow for all the people who are going to have parenthood, health complications, abuse, or even death forced upon them as a result of this ruling.”

A draft of the Supreme Court opinion was leaked in May, and resulted in immediate backlash. In response to the leak, CNN conducted a poll and found that 66% of Americans, did not want Roe v. Wade overturned. With Roe gone, abortion rights are determined by state governments, with 13 states already having “trigger bans” in place. These “trigger bans” were written to ban abortion and take effect either immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned or with state official certification. 11 states’ bans have already gone into effect.

The Supreme Court vote was 5-4 in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. In his majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Roe was “egregiously wrong from the start” and that its arguments were “exceptionally weak,” “had damaging consequences,” and “enflamed debate and deepened division.”

“I think Justice Alito’s opinion is incredibly stupid and inappropriate considering the debate Alito is speaking about has to deal with millions of people’s bodies and autonomy,” Claire Lawrence ‘23 said. “The ruling really showed me that the Supreme Court and those in office don’t actually care about their citizens and will do anything for their religious and political agenda. The rulings to me display that AFAB[assigned female at birth] people have lost their rights to their bodies in this country and that we aren’t safe.”

In a dissenting opinion, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Stephen Breyer condemned the majority decision, closing: “With sorrow- for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection- we dissent.”

Public response to the ruling came quickly. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden, Former President Barack Obama, and Former First Lady Michelle Obama denounced the ruling, with Pelosi calling the Court’s decision “a slap in the face to women.” In contrast, Former Vice President Mike Pence celebrated the decision saying the Court had given the “American people a new beginning for life.”

“The ruling to me means so much.” Sophia Sartor ‘25 said. “It won’t just impact me and my future, it will hurt my friends, my generation, and women across the country, especially those already marginalized or with a lower socioeconomic position.“I would like to express my anger to[the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe], on how they could condemn the lives of women across the country that some of them have no means of empathizing with. How they would force birth in a country with a baby formula shortage, and constant mass shootings. I would ask why this is the issue they are focusing on, why this is the case they are overturning. I would ask if they knew the consequences and impact their decision will have. But I think I would already know the answer.”

The greater impact of this ruling across the country is still uncertain, as there are states that have not yet implemented any abortion bans or limitations.