Last week, hundreds of people gathered outside of the U.S. Supreme Court as the court heard a challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s birth control mandate.

Both proponents and opponents of birth control held respective rallies on the steps of the Supreme Court.  I was given the opportunity to speak at the rally about the importance of access to birth control and separation of church and state.  It was humbling to be able to tell the crowd about how my grandmother’s generation was able to access abortion easier in Tehran in the 50s than many women can in the United States in 2016.

As the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in this case, the need to appoint a proven, principled supporter of reproductive rights becomes more and more apparent.  This court has the power to decide whether or not safe, legal abortion remains the law of the land.  We cannot afford to appoint any justices without a clearly stated record on abortion rights and contraception.  As a movement, we cannot afford to be short-sighted about a lifetime appointment with tremendous power.

Standing outside of the Court and hearing passionate chants from both sides, it became shockingly clear just how much is at stake.  We are entering an era where an employer’s religion is just cause to line-item veto their health coverage.