15 Tattoo Ideas That Honor The Pro-Choice Movement

In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022, the pro-choice movement has been thrust into the spotlight as Americans fight for their reproductive rights. More and more people have spoken out about their thoughts on the matter, with a number of celebrities all making their opinions known about the highly controversial move.

Advertisement

Others have decided to take a very permanent stance to show their support, with many who disagree with the overturn getting it inked onto their skin. "Tattoos are a way of taking ownership over your own body and making a statement for yourself as well as others," tattoo artist Maiah Bennett explained to USA Today. "Our bodily autonomy is being stripped from us."

It's become increasingly popular for people all over the world, not just in the USA, to get pro-choice tattoos as a show of support for those affected by the overturn. And if you're looking to get your opinions inked onto your skin, there are some seriously inspiring designs out there. These are some of our favorites.

When ovaries become roses

This stunning pro-choice tattoo features a range of intricate details to boldly and proudly support such an important cause. We love the stunning face-to-face design inside the reproductive system, which we think represents women supporting women, as well as the transparency and bonding that comes with speaking so openly with others about the cause and our own experiences. This one also has a mystical twist too, with a moon and several stars placed inside the uterus. This addition tells us what we already know — those lucky enough to have a uterus are totally magical. The moon is also referred to a lot when it comes to the female body, as some believe each moon phase is embedded in the womb.

Advertisement

And, just in case you were still confused about what exactly the inking means, it comes complete with the text, "My body. My choice." That it is. The tattoo artist, @electricluntattoo, also shared this iconic design on Instagram with a very to the point caption, writing, "Stay the f**k away from my rights."

A floral tribute to the uterus

We can't get enough of this artsy design that shows flowers embellishing a uterus to represent how reproductive rights are as natural as the body part itself. The large flower at the top gives this design a traditionally feminine twist, while the matching flowers at the end of each fallopian tube, we think, is designed to symbolize the naturalness of the menstrual cycle. That's also shown off in the way each flower is in different stages of bloom, symbolizing the way people who menstruate go through different stages of their cycle. Another intricate deal shows leaves growing from the bottom of the design, just like human life is able to grow inside us.

Advertisement

This design, shared on Instagram by talented tattoo artist Claudia Svoboda, also makes use of the moon, which may potentially be a nod to the moon phase and its perceived link to the womb.

The uterus fairy

This tattoo has quite the story behind it, as it was one of the designs that tattoo artist Maiah Kiana inked onto several supporters during a 2022 pro-choice fundraiser when tattoo artists gathered together for a pro-abortion flash sale, according to USA Today. Dubbed the uterus fairy, the body of the fairy literally represents the uterus, while its wings remind us that those who believe can do anything. We think this design could also be a nod to the concept of being away with the fairies, as some who don't believe in the pro-choice movement think those who don't agree with their views may be behaving in a strange way. Incorporating the fairy is also thought to be a way of taking back power and recognizing that behaving in a way not everyone agrees with isn't always a bad thing.

Advertisement

Over on Instagram, Kiana shared the design alongside a sweet message showing her support for the pro-choice movement. "I'm so grateful for the opportunity to help people express themselves and their autonomy through their skin," she wrote.

Women's bodies need freedom

This enchanting tattoo is an incredible representation of women's rights and the pro-choice movement. The woman's body design is open on one side, which, to us, is representative of the way women need to be free and shouldn't face barriers when it comes to their own bodies. They should be open and free to make their own choices when it comes to their autonomy.

Advertisement

This particular design has a flower growing up from the arm out of the shoulder, which may signify the way those with uteri are able to grow and give life (but only if the person decides to), while the larger flowers on the other side appear to show how we can truly bloom given the right circumstance. We're equally impressed by the word "hope" that is etched across her leg.

When posting the image to Instagram, Catie Haliyiannis explained of her ink, "My body, my choice- today, tomorrow, and forever. I will fight and advocate for all women, always. I am only as strong as my neighbor, and I never want to forget that."

The uterus dagger

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it was like a dagger to the heart, or uterus, of all those who believe in pro-choice — and this tattoo is one of the most literal representations of that concept. For this design, tattoo artist Maiah Kiana incorporated fallopian tubes into the dagger, while the sharpness of the bottom of the knife represents the deep cut many felt over the contentious overturn. Of course, there's also the blood literally dripping from the point making the same statement, as well as the more obvious link to menstruation.

Advertisement

"No one should have the right to take away a human being's bodily autonomy. Tattoos are a powerful way to express ourselves through our body," Kiana wrote in the caption after uploading the image to Instagram. "A good tattoo artist honors your autonomy by listening to what you are asking for and values the trust you put in them to translate that vision into your skin," she added. We couldn't agree more! That's why this is one of our very favorites on the list.

A floral coat hanger

The first of the coat hanger designs on our list, this is a particularly common theme for those getting tattoos connected to the pro-choice movement. The reason why? The coat hanger has a shocking connection to women's rights. As you may or may not know, before there was access to safe abortions, many pregnant people who did not want to become parents would use household items like coat hangers to carry out their own abortion at home. Today, the coat hanger is a symbol for the movement because it's used to remind people of the dangers that can happen when people don't have access to terminate their pregnancies safely.

Advertisement

This particular design also includes flowers and leaves, making a statement about their beliefs regarding how it should be natural for women to have the right to choose what happens with their bodies. The tattoo's owner posted it on Instagram alongside an inspiring quote caption from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

All about the power

This one has a more obvious display of defiance, with the closed fist in the air signifying power for a number of marginalized groups. Here, the hand is accompanied by a green bandana wrapped around the forearm, which has its own meaning. It was actually back in 2003 when the green bandana first became associated with women's rights movements, with it originating in Argentina by family planning rights activists. The color has become even more synonymous with the cause since then, with a movement known as the Green Wave taking place in Argentina in 2018 when women's rights supporters flooded the streets wearing the color.

Advertisement

Green has now been largely adopted as the color of the movement. "The green as a symbol carries international inspiration of the fight that women have waged across the world for the right to an abortion," Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights organizer Michelle Xai explained to The Los Angeles Times.

Two twisted coat hangers

Another one linking to the coat hanger concept, this matching tattoo design shows two people who have put a literal twist on the traditional design. These two coat hangers aren't connected and have, unlike traditional wire coat hangers, been untwisted so they're no longer intertwined. In our opinion, this could have a few different meanings. It seemingly represents the way so many people feel so unconnected to those making the laws, particularly those who agreed to overturn Roe v. Wade. It may also be a representation of the way many people feel in the wake of the controversial legal decisions made about women's bodies that have undone a lot of the hard work many people feel has been done over the years to give people the rights they fought so hard for.

Advertisement

One of our favorite things about this design though is that it's a matching ink. Though you'll want to do your research before getting a matching tattoo with anyone, it's a fantastic way to bond and show solidarity over a joint cause.

A representation of powerlessness

Another design from the super talented Maiah Kiana, this somewhat simple yet infinitely powerful design has a whole lot of meaning behind it. In the caption, she explained the poignant concept — which was created in collaboration with the tattoo's owner, Ariana Reeves.

Advertisement

We'll start with the half eaten apple, which, of course, is a nod to the bible story of Adam and Eve. As you'll likely already know, Eve was caught trying an apple for the forbidden tree against God's wishes, which, in Christianity, is thought to be the reason women menstruate as punishment. The flowers coming out of the neck are incorporated to represent growth, and how we're all ever-growing.

"I love this design because it captures so much," Kiana wrote in the caption on Instagram. "We are tired of feeling powerless over our bodies. We are angry at our rights being stripped from us."

The vaginal lily

This intriguing design is a seriously creative take on inking women's rights onto your body. Shaped like a lily, it incorporates a vaginal shape into the petals, to make a very bold statement. Though lilies can have a number of different meanings depending on what the person getting it is aiming for, in a lot of cases, they can represent fertility. Like so many of the other designs, we love the way it incorporates the beauty of the human body with the beauty of nature. It also reminds us that women's rights are as natural as reproductive body parts. There's also meaning in the way the leaves are at the bottom, but at the top, the design blossoms into opening flowers.

Advertisement

"Yes it is what it looks like," tattoo artist KS Tattoo wrote alongside the photo on Instagram. "My body my choice floral design..was awesome I got to do a piece that has so much meaning to women's rights."

The spiked coat hanger

Another coat hanger design, this one features a daring twist with several potential meanings. The hanger features five spikes across the bottom, which may have been added to symbolize just how much pain those who had to use such household items for an at-home abortion really felt. Equally, the design could also represent just how strong women's rights campaigners are, and that it's not a good idea to mess with them.

Advertisement

In a similar vein to several other women's rights tattoos, it's also made use of the floral theme. This time, the flowers (which are a symbol of traditional femininity) are encased inside the coat hanger, suggesting that what's natural has been boxed in and is no longer free to grow the way it should be.

Tattoo artist Bethany Mack shared the photo on Instagram, and asked what we're all thinking in the caption. "Why are we even having this conversation? It's not 1952... doing what I can," they wrote in the caption.

A woman's body is not yours

This design features two small 3D hearts with a very telling message. On the red heart is the word "not" and the green heart below finishes the phrase with the word "yours." Of course, this one has a very literal meaning by making it very clear a woman's body is her own, while the colors also hold some significance. We already know how green is tied to the women's reproductive rights movement, but red holds its own special meaning too. The color, particularly in tattoos like this one, can often signify romance. But that's not all. The color is also tied to passion and anger, which are both very appropriate here.

Advertisement

Equally, the use of two hearts also has its own meaning. Of course, we all know that the heart shape represents love, as well as passion for such an important cause. The heart is also traditionally feminine, tying into women's rights.

A bold demand

Well, this one's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? We love the way this extremely bold tattoo makes it very clear what many women are looking for when it comes to their reproductive rights. The tattoo artist who posted it to Instagram, Anna B. Nana, put it in the caption, "Simple, but bold!" That it sure is. To the point writing demanding "Free abortion on demand" gets straight to the point, and the color holds some significance too. While, of course, people pick colors that are their personal preference, in this case we think the daring vivid blue represents loyalty. Loyalty to the pro-choice movement.

Advertisement

Having the text written inside a circle could also have some meaning behind it. In the world of tattoos, circles can represent totality, which, in this example, may be a nod to the idea of things coming full circle when it comes to reproductive rights for women. Circles also represent feeling connected to oneself, which is more important than ever when it comes to important human rights.

Triple hearts in solidarity

Getting matching tattoos is a great idea to create a bond and show solidarity, which is why this simple yet effective ink really caught our attention. Three women proudly showed off their heart outline shapes in a TikTok video by tattoo artist @kyracygan, who has inked a number of pro-choice inspired designs and confirmed this was all about the movement in the caption.

Advertisement

We already know that the heart represents love and traditional femininity, which makes it an ideal symbol for the cause. By getting it together to come together over something as important as women's reproductive rights, it demonstrates how people need to band together to fight for everybody's rights. Getting even more literal, the heart pumps the blood around the body — we, of course, can't live without it — so we think this heart shaped design demonstrates the vital importance of the pro-choice cause.

A heart-shaped stethoscope with an important meaning

Combining the medical with the spiritual, this tattoo has a whole lot going on all in one important ink. It works its way down from a stethoscope-esque design at the top, which also looks like a heart (which we know has a whole lot of meaning in itself!) before leading down into some important wording. In cursive, the ink reads, "My body," a phrase that has become synonymous with the pro-choice movement.

Advertisement

Through the stethoscope, this design also incorporates the medical sign of things in a way we haven't seen before. This nods to medical professionals being able to offer safe abortions to pregnant people before the repeal of Roe v. Wade, which somewhat links it into the coat hanger theme we've seen a few of — but with a new perspective. Equally, this ink features very thin lines, which may represent just how fragile it seems women's rights really are.

Recommended

Advertisement