The flood of reactions from Hollywood stars, politicians and prominent writers was swift and raging Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, with everything from despairing shock to pointed snarking at the people responsible for reversing 50 years of legal precedent.
“Banning abortion will disproportionately impact people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, people struggling to make ends meet, young people, and those living in rural areas,” actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted.
“America, I weep for you,” former “Star Trek” star George Takei wrote.
The the Council of the Writers Guild of America East and the Writers Guild of America West Board of Directors issued a statement Friday afternoon.
“The Council of the Writers Guild of America East and the Board of the Writers Guild of America West join to condemn the Supreme Court’s decision Friday morning overturning the landmark Roe v Wade decision that protected reproductive rights and the freedom of choice. Once again this court has chosen to ignore public opinion and to violate the privacy and health of a vast percentage of the American population. This decision will lead to injury, death and the denial of basic human rights that allow Americans to lead the lives they choose without fear of interference or bodily harm. We now look to the states to enforce existing law or to act to pass new legislation that will protect against the Supreme Court’s misguided and harmful decision,” the statement read.
The Directors Guild of American condemned today’s development as well. “Today’s Supreme Court decision is a giant step backwards for our country and puts women’s lives at risk,” said DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter. “It denies countless women the most basic of their human rights – the right to autonomy over their own bodies. We are committed to making sure our members continue to have access and ability to make their own reproductive decisions and determine the path they set for their own lives. We strongly condemn this ruling and stand in solidarity with so many others speaking out to decry this travesty.”
GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued a statement in response to Justice Thomas’ comments in the option.
“Thomas’ dissent is a blaring red alert for the LGBTQ community and for all Americans. We will never go back to the dark days of being shut out of hospital rooms, left off of death certificates, refused spousal benefits, or any of the other humiliations that took place in the years before Obergefell. And we definitely will not go back to the pre-Lawrence days of being criminalized just because we are LGBTQ. But that’s exactly what Thomas is threatening to do to the country, even as support for marriage equality is at an all-time high of 71% and more Americans are coming out as LGBTQ with each generation. Between this threat and today’s reversal of abortion rights, we can no longer trust that the Supreme Court is operating in the interests of the majority of Americans,” the statement read.
Ellis also reacted to the initial news of the official ruling via Twitter.
The responses poured in on social media Friday morning. Some struggled with the emotional fallout of the Supreme Court’s decision, while others begin measuring which communities will be most impacted as a result.
Many have expressed disappointment in current U.S. political leaders and lawmakers. Comedian Billy Eichner pointed to the religious undertones that may be driving the decision, writing on Twitter “Get your fictional hateful bible stories and your fake fictional religious bulls— out of our f—ing lives.”
Pro-life actor Kevin Sorbo also took to Twitter to comment on the Supreme Court’s decision.
