Tennessee’s anti-abortion advocates are celebrating, and eyeing next steps in the abortion battle

Tennessee anti-abortion advocates are celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade and discussing the future of anti-abortion activism in the state. 

Tennessee Right to Life President Stacey Dunn convened a press conference at the old state Supreme Court chambers on Friday, addressing an audience of reporters with about 20 supporters behind her.   

“The overturning of Roe v. Wade is certainly not the end of pro-life work in Tennessee. Today, we celebrate the victory, but tomorrow, we get back to work,” she said. 

In his concurring opinion, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that states cannot bar people from going out of state to seek abortions due to the constitutional right to interstate travel. 

But Dunn said that one of her organization’s priorities moving forward will be discouraging people from traveling to other states to access abortions.  

“We will work to protect our women and girls from the marketing efforts of out-of-state abortion facilities who will try to lure women and their money to their unsafe and unregulated abortion facilities in their state,” she said. 

Dunn added that they will also target companies that fund their employees’ out-of-state abortions. 

“We will work so that no woman is coerced or pressured by her employer to have an out-of-state abortion that will be fully funded by her workplace. This type of coercion, pressure, and manipulation of women is unacceptable and those businesses who try this should be held accountable,” she said. 

Supporters like Todd Jabobs were encouraged by the Supreme Court’s ruling. Jacobs is an anti-abortion advocate who is working to relaunch the Davidson and Williamson County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life. 

“I’m excited. I’m very excited,” he said. 

Jacobs said his ultimate goal is a complete ban on abortion without any exceptions — even for rape or incest. But he didn’t always feel this way. He said when he was younger, a woman he impregnated had sought an abortion. 

“I, personally, am actually an abortion offender, when I was 20 years old. And now God has given me an opportunity to redeem my sin and to be a part of some change,” he said.