The Eastside Human Services Forum denounces the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to strike down Roe v Wade and the Constitutional right to abortion.
We stand with women, transgender and nonbinary people who can become pregnant. We unequivocally affirm the right to reproductive freedom for individuals or individuals in consultation with family, friends, healthcare professionals, faith or spiritual guides — without interference from government. We know that this Supreme Court decision disproportionately impacts people of color, people with disabilities, and those with a low income, among others. Reproductive freedom, which is essential to protecting bodily autonomy, is also essential to achieving a gender-equal world and confronting healthcare inequities. It also is at the very core of the fundamental right to equality and privacy.
Today, Washington is one of just 16 states having laws that protect abortion rights. To be clear, this should not make us rest easy, as many voices are now calling for a national ban on abortion. In the past six years alone, 40 bills have been introduced in the state legislature with the goal of rolling back abortion rights and access to reproductive care.
The Eastside Human Services Forum will continue working to educate elected officials and to protect essential rights to equal healthcare, human dignity and individual privacy.
eastsidehsf.org 