Accessing Health Care and Making Decisions for the Future Should Never Be a Crime
To mark what would have been the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which protected the legal right to abortion across the country, Health Care for America Now (HCAN) Executive Director Margarida Jorge released the following statement:
“January 22 should have marked 50 years of federally protected reproductive rights across America and been a celebration of every individual’s freedom to make decisions about their own health care, future and family. Instead, on this anniversary we recommit to the fight to restore and expand the critical protections guaranteed under Roe v. Wade and reaffirm that people should have the freedom to make decisions about their futures and families without fear, stigma or criminal punishment.
“Abortion is health care, yet fourteen states have already enacted abortion bans in the seven months since Roe was overturned, and more are set to consider similar, if not more restrictive, measures this year. These bans put both patients and providers at risk of arrest and have already led to worse health outcomes, including longer wait times, escalating costs and limited options for care.
“Anti-abortion extremists have made it clear that they are more than willing to put politics ahead of health and safety and will seek to further prosecute those who attempt to access or provide vital health care. Health care advocates and abortion rights supporters must step up now, more than ever, to protect and restore abortion access for the millions of people who need it, particularly future generations of potential parents who deserve the right to decide for themselves if and when to start a family. We will not stop fighting to hold our leaders accountable, push back on extremists and demand ownership of our health and destinies.”
