Headline RoundupJune 27th, 2022

Roe v Wade Fallout: Does Clarence Thomas Want to ‘Reconsider’ Gay Marriage and Contraception Rights?

Summary from the AllSides News Team

While Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito argued the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could not be applied to issues like contraception and same-sex marriage, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested the court should “reconsider” those cases. 

The divergence between Alito’s majority opinion and Thomas’ concurring opinion fueled renewed fears that some rights might be less secure than previously thought. Thomas specifically argued that the court should revisit “substantive due process precedents” — including Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception), Lawrence v. Texas (same-sex intimacy) and Obergefell v. Hodges (same-sex marriage) — because they resulted in the “fabrication” of constitutional rights. The court’s liberal justices appeared concerned about Thomas’ argument, writing in their dissent that “no one should be confident that this majority is done with its work.”

In response, Democrats like Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) said it was “a very dangerous time for people who care about human rights and civil liberties.” Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told “Fox News Sunday” that same-sex marriage and contraception rights were safe because they did not deal with “the potential for life.”

Coverage in left-rated outlets was more common and often discussed the “danger” to women’s rights and the “fears” of LGBTQ people. Coverage from the right often framed Thomas favorably; the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) prominently featured a feel-good story on how Thomas “gets away from it all.”

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