Reproductive rights are essential to racial equity

Reproductive rights are essential to racial equity

We are furious. Today, the Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, overruling Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Given the current composition of the court, and the leaked opinion early last month, we all knew today’s decision was possible. And still, it is sickening, devastating, and enraging to witness this gutting of bodily autonomy, women’s rights, and human rights.

Says Layidua Salazar, SFF Program Associate and former Board Chair, ACCESS Reproductive Justice, “For me, fighting for reproductive justice is personal, and it is central to my beliefs and to our self-determination. This is the time to show up for communities who will be disproportionally impacted by this decision and uplift the voices of these communities – young people, low income, BIPOC, immigrant (both documented and undocumented), and trans and gender-expansive communities. In order to create the compassionate communities we deserve, all of us have to step up and demonstrate the path forward.”

Reproductive rights are essential to racial equity and the ability for everyone to thrive. “Contrary to widely held beliefs, most people who have abortions are already parents. They are mostly women of color, and most are living in poverty,” says Dr. Gretchen Sisson, SFF donor, sociologist, author, and activist who helped us create our Give Guide: Reproductive Health and Rights. “The freedom to determine if/when you have children and with whom, is essential to shaping the rest of our lives.”

SFF has supported reproductive rights for nearly 60 years, and we will continue to fight. Channel your anger and sadness – support nonprofits organizing communities and providing direct services at this critical moment.