Justin Bieber’s Pro-Life Mom and 39 Other Reasons to Read About the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

1. Wonder Woman was pro-choice. Or at least she could’ve been. In 1972, science-fiction author Samuel R. Delany wrote a story arc for the Wonder Woman comic book that was to culminate in Wonder Woman protecting an abortion clinic. The story was never published, because Gloria Steinem intervened.

2. That same year, Ms. magazine published the names of women who admitted to having abortions when the procedure was still illegal in most of the United States.

3. The magazine published a new list in 2006.

4. Sister Act actress Kathy Najimy was on the list.

5. So was Ms. co-founder Gloria Steinem.

6. About 40 percent of American women have had abortions.

7. Most people under the age of 30 don’t know what Roe v. Wade was about.

8. According to a Pew report, white evangelical Protestants are the only major religious group in which a majority favors completely overturning Roe v. Wade.

9. Age doesn’t matter, says the same Pew study: 55 percent of Americans under age 30 support legal abortions in most or all cases. So do 57 percent of those ages 50 to 64.

10. If you hear a lot of honking at the corner of Broad and Walnut streets today, it’s because of Roe v. Wade.

11. In 2008, the average cost of a first trimester abortion was $470.

12. Most women—88 percent—have their abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

13. Planned Parenthood isn’t pro-Choice.Well, sorta. The organization recently released a video trying to distance itself from the words pro-Choice and pro-Life, because the issue and labeling is divisive.

14. Bea Arthur had TV’s first abortion on a 1972 episode of Maude.

15. Norma McCorvey, who went by the alias Jane Roe and is the namesake of the landmark trial, is now an anti-abortion activist.

16. In 2012, McCorvey released an anti-Obama campaign ad. “Don’t vote for Obama. He murders babies.” (WARNING: Video below contains graphic content.)

17. There’s a reality show about abortion. Premiering tonight on KnockTV, Surrender the Secret follow five women as they “embark upon a healing journey using an eight session bible study.”

18. As of this month, women in the military can get abortions covered by their insurance even when the life of the mother isn’t in danger.

19. Justin Bieber’s mom is executive producing a short anti-abortion film.

20. According to the World Health Organization, since 2003, the number of abortions dropped by 600,000 in the developed world. However that number increased by 2.8 million in the developing world.

21. In 2008, six million abortions were performed in developed countries and 38 million in developing countries.

22. DC lobbying group Americans United for Life ranked Pennsylvania third on their “Life List” this year.

23. In a 2009 study, a total of 784,507 abortions were reported to the Center for Disease Control.

24. Roe v. Wade passed with a 7-to-2 majority vote. Byron White and William Rehnquist were the dissenting votes.

25. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren E. Burger voted with Roe v. Wade but in 1982, abandoned his support to vote in favor of Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which challenged Pennsylvania’s Abortion Control Act of 1982.

26. Michael Jackson was pro-life and he told us from beyond the grave. In September 2012, the 25th anniversary edition of his Bad album included a previously-unreleased track titled “Song Groove (A/K/A Abortion Papers).” Lyrics include: “Those abortion papers/Signed in your name against the words of God/Those abortion papers/Think about life, I’d like to have my child.”

27. Rush Limbaugh thinks women who get abortions should be shot. At least that’s what he said last week.

28. The first March for Life, the annual gathering of pro-lifers protesting Roe v. Wade, drew 20,000 people.

29. Last year’s protest was attended by approximately 400,000 people.

30. In 2010, 27-year-old Angie Jackson live-Tweeted her abortion.

31. When it comes to restricting abortions, Mother Jones says we should be paying attention to Mississippi, Virginia, Texas, Arizona and North Dakota this year.

32. Interesting stats: Roe v. Wade is almost twice as popular as the Supreme Court itself these days.

33. Eleanor Barkhorn, a writer for The Atlantic, says we don’t see more abortions on television because babies advance plots.

34. Comedian and talk show host Chelsea Handler had an abortion at 16 at the urging of her parents.

35. Sarah Weddington, one of the two lawyers for Jane Roe, remains one of the youngest attorneys to argue a successful Supreme Court case.

36. Some women have to travel up to 50 miles or more to obtain an abortion.

37. Fifteen percent of U.S. women who have abortions are married.

38. In 2012, 42 states and the District of Columbia enacted 122 provisions related to reproductive health and rights. One-third of the new provision sought to restrict access to abortion services.

39. Before Roe v. Wade passed, as many as 5,000 American women died every year as a direct result of unsafe abortions.

40. In 2013, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops launched Nine Days Of Prayer, Penance And Pilgrimage. You can text “9days” to 99000 to receive daily novenas.