We at Sakhi are deeply alarmed to learn of the recently leaked SCOTUS draft decision that threatens to overthrow Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that enshrines abortion as a constitutional right.
Make no mistake, abortion restrictions are gender-based violence.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sakhi worked urgently with Planned Parenthood to secure contraception for survivors that were experiencing heightened forms of sexual violence while sheltering in place. Time and again, we have identified reproductive healthcare as a critical need for our community: access to reproductive services ensures that survivors have the tools and opportunities they need to pursue their futures— on their own terms.
At Sakhi, we know that agency is integral to healing. We believe that all people have the right to choose what’s best for their bodies, and that a denial of this right is a denial of their consent. As Dr. Meera Shah— Sakhi Board member, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, and Medical Director of Whole Women’s Health Alliance of South Bend, Indiana— affirms, “banning abortion care does not end the need for abortion care.”
Reproductive justice is inextricably linked to economic, social, and racial justice. We recognize that this impending restriction has heightened implications for queer, trans, and gender nonconforming people, for those experiencing poverty, and for people of color. We will continue to build a movement that uplifts and empowers our entire community, even in the face of adversity.
We call on our political leaders to actively protect bodily autonomy and reproductive access. Together, let’s build momentum to cultivate a future in which life-affirming healthcare does not come down to a vote.
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