In their second special session this summer, the Texas legislature went after abortion providers. On Wednesday—the final day of the special session—lawmakers approved a bill that lets private citizens sue abortion pill manufacturers, doctors, or anyone who mails or assists in securing the medication. In a state that already bans most abortions, the law poses a threat to one of the last viable ways to obtain an abortion without leaving the state. (Ever the ones to have their priorities straight, the lawmakers also passed a bill that prevents trans people from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity in public buildings.)

Laws like this one spell out a simple truth at the core of the current Republican agenda, and our current moment: it is unsafe to be a woman in today’s America. And that situation is by design—whether through abortion restrictions, questioning the safety of the most effective forms of contraception, or RFK Jr.’s targeting of safe and effective vaccines, and other proven public health interventions that save lives. We will all suffer the consequences—regardless of our politics. 

As red states continue their antiabortion crusades, lawmakers and public officials in blue states are doubling down on expanding access to abortion care. Late last month, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law that requires public colleges and universities to ensure that students have access to medication abortion and contraception, as contributing editor Carrie Baker reports for Ms. this week. The state joins California, Massachusetts and New York in requiring student health centers to offer abortion pills. “As Donald Trump and his administration continue to pull every lever they can to rip rights away from women, Illinois is making sure every woman, at every stage of life, can get the legal care they need from providers they trust,” Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said in a press release.