The Future of Women’s Reproductive Health Hangs in the Balance in the Fall
Medical decisions should be made between a patient and their doctor. Employers should have nothing to do with it.
Yet, the July 15 Supreme Court ruling has allowed employers to push their own religious agenda in the workplace by denying employees coverage for birth control. Now, more than 75,000 people are at risk of losing access to birth control, further reducing health care coverage during a global health crisis. Women in every state are at a higher risk for unintended pregnancies without the ability to make reproductive decisions such as family planning and lack the social and economic support to care for a child following delivery.
This abhorrent ruling gives employers far too much control over the health decisions of their employees. It is a blatant attack on American women and their bodies to allow organizations and businesses to overrule personal choice and freedom. It is a blow to our hard-earned progress to advance reproductive rights and access to birth control, which are both basic human rights. Lack of access only furthers racial and socioeconomic health disparities. Without widespread contraceptive coverage, women are left behind.
This decision can’t be allowed to stand. The courts hang in the balance in this year’s November election, so it is critical that we vote Trump out of office. Last year the state Senate Democratic majority passed a long-blocked Reproductive Health Act, Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act and Boss Bill, which strives in the right direction.
We need New Yorkers to head to the polls to elect officials who will stand up for the health, empowerment and rights of everyone, everywhere. We need to #FightforHER.
Sarina Abraham
Cortlandt Manor
