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Press Statements
KANSANS RESOUNDINGLY VOTE TO PRESERVE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
For Immediate Release: August 3, 2022
Contact: liberateabortion@berlinrosen.com
Washington, DC – In response to Kansans overwhelmingly voting to preserve reproductive rights in the state’s constitution, Liberate Abortion Campaign Director Sharmin Hossain released the below statement:
“Yesterday, Kansas voters decidedly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have eliminated the right to abortion care and resoundingly supported reproductive freedom in their state. This was the first time abortion access has explicitly been on the ballot since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June and the message was clear: Americans want the government to stay out of their personal reproductive decisions, even in bright red Kansas.
“The upcoming midterm elections will be a deciding factor in abortion access across the country, and there were a lot of lessons learned with this Kansas vote that we can take into the next couple months. Americans are seeing firsthand the devastation bans cause – and not just in states where it has been restricted but also in states where it has been expanded. Voters are energized in ways we haven’t seen before, and they are making one thing loud and clear: they will not tolerate extreme restrictions or bans on abortion.”
Liberate Abortion is a multitactical coalition of over 150 organizations unified to expand power, grow compassion, provide education, and build a groundswell of support for abortion access across the United States. Liberate Abortion is multiracial and multifaith, and encompasses diversity across geography, disability spectrum, gender spectrum, and sexual orientation, immigration status, and income level.
Liberate Abortion Statement on Supreme Court’s Vote to Overturn Roe v. Wade
For immediate release: May 3, 2022
“Tonight, Politico shared a leaked draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case which appears to outline how the Supreme Court is preparing to overturn Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
First and foremost, I want to stress that abortion is still legal. This is a leaked draft opinion, not a final order of the Court. Until we actually see an official final opinion, this is not a final opinion. Again, abortion is still legal in the United States. But we must reiterate that abortion clinics and funds are open and ready to support patients in every state. To find a clinic, go to www.ineedana.com. If you need help funding an abortion, go to www.abortionfunds.org.”
“We have seen abortion access roll back in this country, with bans and restrictions being introduced by extremists who are trying to undermine our human rights. While these extremists are trying to undermine our human rights, we also know that the movement to support liberate abortion is incredibly strong – and growing stronger by the day.
“Our movement is growing stronger than ever and we will work to make sure people get access to abortion care when they need it, on a timeline of their choosing, and in a community and an environment they trust and feel safe in.”
—- Sharmin Hossain, Campaign Director, Liberate Abortion
More than 120 Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Organizations Call on President Biden to Address National Abortion Access Crisis in State of the Union
For Immediate Release: February 16, 2022
WASHINGTON — Today, more than 120 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations signed an open letter to President Biden ahead of his State of the Union to request that he address the national abortion access crisis and reiterate his support for the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA).
The president’s address to the nation falls on the six-month anniversary of the day Texas’s six-week abortion ban, S.B. 8, took effect. Texans who can afford it and are able to make the trip are leaving the state for abortions, causing an uptick in patients seeking care in neighboring states or self-managing their abortions. The people who can’t find the resources are forced to remain pregnant. Meanwhile, emboldened state lawmakers across the country have introduced an alarming number of abortion restriction bills in 2022, with an eye to the upcoming Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that could overturn Roe v. Wade.
The open letter notes that despite abortion rights at times being innacurately called a “divisive” issue, recent polling, including polls from CNN and FOX News, reiterate that there is broad support for abortion rights and the Roe v. Wade decision. The groups write:
“As you prepare for the State of the Union, we urge you to be clear that protecting abortion access is of paramount importance given both the ongoing crisis in Texas and the likelihood that the Supreme Court will further decimate the constitutional right to abortion later this year. We also urge you to reiterate your support for the Women’s Health Protection Act.”
“For many Texans — especially immigrants, Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Indigenous communities, particularly those with low incomes — abortion was already a right in name only. S.B. 8 has decimated what little access remained.”
“And with the Supreme Court poised to potentially overturn Roe v. Wade when they rule on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization this summer, we are staring down a future where basic access to abortion and other reproductive health care will almost certainly depend on what state you live in.”
“We are hopeful you will make a forceful case to the American public about the administration’s efforts to protect abortion access in the face of unprecedented attacks.”
Liberate Abortion Coalition Responds to Supreme Court Decisions on Texas Abortion Ban
For Immediate Release: December 15, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC — Liberate Abortion – a coalition to expand power, grow compassion, provide education, and build a groundswell of support for abortion access across the United States – issued the following statement from Campaign Director Sharmin Hossain after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on Texas law S.B. 8:
“The Supreme Court’s decision is a cruel injustice that denies and severely jeopardizes a person’s fundamental right to abortion. Our coalition stands with the Texas abortion providers, funders, and those seeking abortion care who for more than 100 days have endured confusion, frustration, fear and indignity while trying to access an abortion. The impact of this ban has been especially harsh on communities of color, people working to make ends meet, and those for whom out-of-state care is out of reach. Not only does the Supreme Court’s decision not restore Texans’ access to abortion, it paves the way for Texas’s bounty-hunter scheme to continue, and will embolden other states to pass copycat abortion restrictions, leading to devastating consequences across the country.”
This should have never happened to begin with. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted in her dissent, “The Court should have put an end to this madness months ago, before S.B.8 first went into effect.” But legal abortion has never been enough to ensure people - especially those who are Black, Brown, Indigenous, part of the LGBTQ community and across the disability spectrum - can get the care they need when they need it.
We need to liberate abortion to ensure abortion is available, affordable, and accessible for anyone who needs it with the providers they trust. Liberated abortion looks like abortion access that is free from hurdles, that is not challenged continuously in court or punished criminally, that is fully available regardless of zip code, income level, or insurance coverage, and is free from shame and stigma.
The Liberate Abortion coalition calls on the Senate to swiftly pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, to safeguard the legal right to abortion throughout the United States, and the EACH Act to reverse the Hyde Amendment and related abortion coverage restrictions. Politicians must act to protect the availability of all abortion care and the people who provide that care without unnecessary barriers, stigma, or shame. Our coalition remains committed to working towards that vision together.
Background
On December 10, the U.S. Supreme Court issued decisions in two cases challenging Texas’ ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy (S.B. 8), Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson and United States v. Texas. In a 5-4 majority, the Court ruled that the health care providers could not bring suit against the classes of state judges and clerks or the state Attorney General. The Court also ruled 8-1 that the providers’ lawsuit could go forward against state officials responsible for medical licensing and the head of the Texas health department, but this would not prevent the bounty-hunter lawsuits that directly impact clinics’ ability to provide care from being filed.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court also heard Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a case that could ultimately eliminate any federal abortion protections and could give states full freedom to ban abortion care.
About Liberate Abortion
Liberate Abortion is a multitactical coalition of over 120 organizations unified to expand power, grow compassion, provide education, and build a groundswell of support for abortion access across the United States. Liberate Abortion is multiracial and multifaith, and encompasses diversity across geography, disability spectrum, gender spectrum and sexual orientation, immigration status, and income level.