I’ll be telling my grandchildren one day about the day I met the first female Vice President. I met Kamala Harris as she launched her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms Tour” in Waukesha, Wisconsin on January 22nd, 2024. I can still hear the excitement of hundreds of people who stood in rapt attention for speakers that included Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, and Vice President Harris. Before the speakers began, there were chants and songs that reverberated through the crowd led by Our Voice Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore shared a deeply personal and powerful story during Vice President Kamala Harris’s “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms Tour” launch in Waukesha. Congresswoman Moore spoke about her own abortion experience, highlighting the financial challenges she faced to “rake and scrape enough money” for the procedure. Her candid discussion emphasized the privilege she had in being able to access the necessary funds.
Her story served as a poignant reminder that reproductive justice should never depend on financial means and that everyone should have the same autonomy over their bodies, regardless of their economic circumstances. But we know that increasingly restrictive access to reproductive choices disproportionately harms low-income Americans. As long as disparities in accessing reproductive healthcare persist, the wealthy will consistently have the means to exercise their reproductive rights, leaving low-income individuals to bear the brunt of these stringent policies. A report by the Guttmacher Institute found that though abortion bans hurt everyone, they cause even greater harm to those already subject to systemic racism and economic injustice.
As a woman living in the United States, reproductive rights have always been a deeply personal issue for me. It’s a deeply personal and fundamentally important aspect of our lives that affects millions of individuals nationwide. Recent attacks on reproductive rights have underscored the importance of fighting for reproductive justice, and I am grateful for the steps taken by Vice President Kamala Harris to protect these rights for all Americans.
Vice President Harris had a rallying cry to defend reproductive justice rights across the U.S., noting the harm that happened here in Wisconsin after the repeal of Roe V. Wade. She debunked the argument that those who push for abortion bans care about women in children, “in reality, they ignore the crisis of infant mortality. The top 10 states for maternal mortality all have abortion bans.”
Her commitment to launching a campaign that works with states to enshrine and protect these rights in all 50 states is a significant step forward. It sends a powerful message that reproductive justice is not a privilege for a select few but a fundamental human right that should be accessible to all, regardless of their zip code.
When the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, was struck down in June of 2022, it signaled a seismic shift in the landscape of reproductive rights in the United States. Since then, twenty-four states have enacted various abortion restrictions, illustrating the alarming erosion of women’s access to safe and legal abortion across the nation.
My home state of Wisconsin has garnered significant attention in the wake of these developments. We have been at the forefront of recent abortion-related controversies. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, Wisconsin swiftly moved to implement its restrictive 1849 abortion ban. The regressive 1849 abortion ban remained on the books until a lawsuit restored freedom over a year later. Now that it’s back in play, this regressive law not only threatens the rights and well-being of individuals seeking reproductive healthcare, but also serves as a stark reminder of the fragile state of reproductive rights in our country.
The Supreme Court’s decision to roll back Roe v. Wade has created a ripple effect, emboldening states to enact restrictive abortion laws that jeopardize the health and autonomy of those seeking reproductive care. As we grapple with these concerning developments, it is more crucial than ever to advocate for the protection of reproductive rights on a federal level and to ensure that access to safe and legal abortion remains a fundamental right for all Americans.
The issue of reproductive rights encompasses a wide range of topics, but at its core, it’s about granting individuals the autonomy to make decisions about their own bodies. These bans seek to restrict or even eliminate a person’s right to choose what is best for their own health and future. It’s crucial to remember that the decision to have an abortion is deeply personal and often complex, driven by a myriad of factors such as health concerns, financial stability, and personal circumstances. It is not a decision that politicians should make but rather by individuals in consultation with their healthcare providers.
Access to birth control is another vital component of reproductive rights. Birth control allows individuals to plan their families, pursue education and careers, and make choices about when and how to become parents. And, of course, these decisions impact a person’s economic standing. In recent years, there have been national calls and legal challenges aiming to restrict access to contraception, as exemplified by the Hobby Lobby birth control case.
Reproductive justice means ensuring that everyone has the resources and support they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their futures, and their wallets. It means dismantling barriers that disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including people of color and low-income individuals. It means respecting each person’s autonomy and choices, whether they decide to become parents, access contraception, or seek an abortion.
As we move forward in the fight for reproductive justice, let us remember that this is not just a women’s issue — it is a human rights issue. It affects individuals of all genders and backgrounds and impacts families, relationships, and the overall well-being of our society.
I believe that by working together and advocating for comprehensive sex education, affordable healthcare, access to birth control, and safe, legal abortion, we can ensure that reproductive justice becomes a reality for all Americans. I am grateful to Vice President Kamala Harris for her dedication to protecting and expanding reproductive rights. I am hopeful that her campaign will lead to a future where every person’s reproductive rights are protected and respected. Together, we can create a society where individuals are free to make choices about their bodies, health, and lives without fear or discrimination.