Why Abortion Access is a Racial Justice Issue
The health care system in this country already has a serious problem with systemic racism.
You may have heard that Black women experience significantly higher rates of maternal mortality and are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
You’ve probably also heard a lot about social determinants of health — the way external forces such as where you were born, grew up, work, live, your race and economic factors, impacts your health and wellbeing.
And since ABORTION. IS. HEALTH CARE. (say it louder for the folks in the back), we know that increased barriers to abortion care as a result of the Dobbs decision will disproportionately impact those who already suffer from the systemic inequalities in our health care system.
The implications of this couldn’t be clearer. When a middle-upper class white woman needs to get on a plane to travel out-of-state for abortion care, we can assume she will have the resources to do so safely. Meanwhile those with fewer resources will often be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy.
Reproductive Equity Now is laser focused on policy changes in Massachusetts and across our region that will protect and expand access for everyone.
That’s why we are working hard to put an end to cost-sharing for abortion and other types of reproductive health care. Cost should NEVER be a barrier to accessing the health care you want, and high deductible plans often result in exorbitant out-of-pocket costs for patients.
It’s also why it’s so important to support abortion funds! Abortion funds are the grassroots organizations that work to make abortion care affordable, covering costs for the procedure itself, travel, hotel stays, or child care. Massachusetts is lucky to have four incredible funds—Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund, Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts, Jane Fund of Central Massachusetts, and Tides for Change.
As we fight back to protect and expand abortion access, we must do so with the understanding that some of us are more impacted by abortion restrictions than others, and work hard to build back toward a system that prioritizes reproductive health care for all.
Read more about the Beyond Roe Coalition and co-sign our policy agenda.
