Our Bodies are on the Ballot

“My name is Lila, and I’m 31 years old.  I work full time to support my three girls. If I continue with this pregnancy, we will probably end up living in my car, since I can barely afford the rent, groceries, and their school supplies.’’

‘’I’m Deanna.  I’m in high school, a senior.  I started having sex with my boyfriend last year, after he pressured me for months.  We used condoms, but he complained about it and often tried to slip it off.  I finally broke up with him because he was really manipulating me.  I want to graduate this year and hopefully go to college.  I am definitely not ready to be a mom.’’

‘’My husband and I have a beautiful son with special needs.  He is the center of our world.  When I was pregnant with him, I had severe high blood pressure that nearly killed me.  My doctor said I was lucky to survive that pregnancy, and I am at very high risk again now.  If something happened to me – well, I can’t even think what would happen.  My son needs me and that is our priority right now.’’

These are real stories of people with pregnancies they are not willing to continue. Women have to make nuanced decisions for themselves and their families every day.  If, when, and how to parent is one of those critical and deeply personal decisions.  Each person’s circumstances are unique, and women should be trusted to make decisions about their own lives, bodies, and futures. Having an abortion is not a decision that anyone takes lightly. But, ultimately, it should be made by the person most directly impacted by that pregnancy, without heavy-handed government intrusion.  Women deserve respect, empathy, and the right to self-determination.

Yet.  Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, that right to self-determination is no longer federally protected.  It is now up to each state to determine if and how abortion can be legal. This has resulted in a patchwork of laws that leaves millions of women unable to make their own personal health care decisions, and threatens doctors with jail for providing care for their patients.  It leaves women with unviable or life-threatening pregnancies scrambling to travel and find the health care they need.  It has already caused maternal deaths to spike, and pushed doctors and medical students to flee the states that disrespect patients’ rights and privacy.

This is not an issue that affects a tiny minority.  One in four women in the US will have an abortion during their lifetime.  That means someone you love has had an abortion. Over sixty percent of abortion patients have children – often citing the interests of their existing children as a motivating reason.  Broad access to reproductive self-determination – in other words, trusting women to make sound decisions – has enabled historic progress on gender equity in households, education, workplaces, and communities.

But apparently, the Republicans think they know what’s best for you.  On the heels of the Dobbs decision, North Carolina’s Republican lawmakers banned abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy, using their razor-thin majority to override Governor Cooper’s veto. For the extreme cases of rape or incest, they made it illegal after 20 weeks.  The new law also creates medically unnecessary and life-endangering obstacles to abortion care – requiring three in-person appointments, where patients must be forced to listen to state-mandated, non-scientific, anti-abortion counseling and receive a medically unnecessary ultrasound. The patient must then wait 72 hours before the procedure.  And let’s be clear: these burdens created by the Republicans in the General Assembly do not fall equally on all North Carolinians.  The restrictions disproportionately affect folks who already have significant barriers to accessing health care – people who live in rural areas, people of color, people who have a hard time making ends meet, or those who don’t speak English as their first language.

Anyone who has been pregnant, or could get pregnant, understands the stakes.  No matter what your political affiliation, we must take action to protect women’s health and rights:

First, because abortion policy is now set at the state level, it is even more important to pay attention to the state representatives who want to meddle into the personal decision-making of women and couples. Many North Carolina legislators have expressed intent to pass further abortion restrictions, including a complete ban. The Republican candidate for governor Mark Robinson has stated repeatedly that if he had a willing legislature, he would pass a law banning abortion entirely, without exceptions. Electing candidates who are committed to protecting abortion access in North Carolina, and breaking the Republican supermajority is absolutely imperative.

Secondly, we must also restore protections for reproductive decision-making, including abortion and contraception, into federal law.  Abortion is a normal part of reproductive health care, and should be treated as such, no matter your zip code.  We must send lawmakers to Washington who understand that.  

And last but not least, we need to support candidates and policies that advance reproductive freedom, in all its forms. Accessible child care, fair wages, strong public education, pre-K programs, and health care for all, including prenatal care, contraception and abortion, are all part of enabling healthy children and families. 

People who want to give birth and raise a kid should be supported – because it’s good for all of us when families are formed willingly.

People who are not ready to give birth or raise a kid should be supported – because it’s good for all of us when folks take on parenting when they’re ready.

If this is the future you want, then let’s put all eyes on November and get us there.