NCCJ stands in support of reproductive rights
June 25, 2022
Category: Public Policy
Tags: Equity, Human rights, Reproductive rights,
Reproductive rights are human rights.
At NCCJ, we strive to honor and respect each person’s lived experiences.
We believe people have a fundamental human right to bodily autonomy.
We stand with women and all people who can become pregnant in support of their rights to reproductive healthcare.
We should all be able to make the personal health care decisions that impact our lives, our physical and mental health, and our futures.
After the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, reproductive rights are no longer federally protected. These rights are under attack at state and local levels.
Banning or severely restricting access to abortion care harms all people. It disproportionately affects communities of color; it is an attack on racial justice, economic justice, and equality. For many people, it is a matter of life and death.
“Abortion bans exacerbate societal inequalities and disproportionately harm people of color and others who already face obstacles to health care.”
– Center for Reproductive Rights
“Above all others, women lacking financial resources will suffer from today’s decision. After this decision, some States may block women from traveling out of State to obtain abortions, or even from receiving abortion medications from out of State. Some may criminalize efforts, including the provision of information or funding, to help women gain access to other States’ abortion services.”
– Dissenting opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan
Right now, reproductive rights are still protected in North Carolina. However, some top officials are already calling for severe restrictions on those rights.
Now more than ever, we must work together to safeguard our fundamental rights.
“If you don’t have a personal experience with abortion, read the stories of those who have been brave enough to share their own publicly. Listen and read with a compassionate spirit and open heart. Acknowledge the emotions within the stories – and the feelings they stir within you.”
– Rev. Katey Zeh, “How to Talk About Abortion in Church”
We strongly encourage you to speak out and to take action on this critical human rights issue.
We urge you to vote for candidates and advocate for laws and policies that protect bodily autonomy and uphold reproductive rights for all people.
Some resources:
ACLU: Abortion is Essential: Stories of Liberation
Center for Reproductive Rights: The Disproportionate Harm of Abortion Bans
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice: Religion & Repro Resource Library
United Nations Human Rights: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
