ACLU Accused of 'Erasing Women' After it Edited Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Quote on Abortions
© AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
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The debate about abortions has sprung up with renewed vigour in the US since several states introduced near-total bans on the procedure. Critics of the measures, which include US President Joe Biden described them as an "assault" on women's rights, while proponents of the restrictions argue they will save millions of lives.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has faced harsh criticism online after making several posts about abortions, in which it mentioned late US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, commonly known by her initials RBG. The ACLU tweeted several statements to mark the anniversary of RBG's passing. Ginsburg spent most of her career fighting for gender equality and women's rights, including access to abortion.
With Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, we lost a champion for abortion and gender equality. And on the anniversary of her death, the fight to protect abortion access is more urgent than ever. pic.twitter.com/vIKadIHouN
— ACLU (@ACLU) September 18, 2021
However, the nonprofit organisation didn't correctly quote RBG and replaced the word "woman" with gender neutral words. The ACLU's post prompted a rebuke from social media users, who accused it of "erasing women" and a "stab in the back" of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Love how the "woke" crowd plays free and easy with other people's quotes. Especially if they are not alive to call them out on it. Justice Ginsberg said what she meant. What a disgusting lack of respect for a REAL champion of women's rights.
— Johan deRuiter (@JohandeRuiter10) September 23, 2021
You removed the word woman?
— Maya Forstater (@MForstater) September 23, 2021
From abortion rights?
From the woman who co-founded ACLU's Women's Rights Project?
Unreal.
The issue of abortion sprung up with renewed vigour earlier this year after several US states, including Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas introduced laws prohibiting the procedure as early as six weeks. The one introduced in the Lone Star State has been described as the most extreme legislation ever introduced in the United States as it bars abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
