ROE IS POISED TO FALL – WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE?
What does the leak of Justice Alito’s opinion mean to you? What does it have to do with BPW’s “mission,” our reason for being as an organization?
As your Advocacy Chair, let me speak for myself. I am shocked and angered. Although Roe v. Wade was decided nearly 50 years ago, the right we have had under our U.S. Constitution to control our own reproductive lives is on the verge of being revoked. As far as I know, overruling Roe would be the first time in our nation’s history that the Supreme Court revokes a right, certainly one of the very few times a longstanding decision is overruled. And more than half of the states in our country are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to ban abortions within their borders. At last count, 26 states would have abortion bans in place soon after the Court overturns Roe.
To respond to such a rollback, I call on other members of Business and Professional Women of Nevada County to stand up for abortion rights. Control over whether and when to bear a child is intrinsic to our mission of supporting and promoting “equity for women in all aspects of their lives.” Advocating in support of reproductive rights, as well as other issues of importance to working women, is undeniably one of the most important of BPW’s objectives.
Some of you will respond to the end of Roe with political action. Some will help fund local, state-level or national abortion providers or donate to abortion support funds to help women living in states where abortion is banned. Some will join in public protests. I applaud such advocacy.
And, I recommit to our Public Policy Platform, adopted in 2010, which states that its bedrock principle guiding its advocacy efforts is: “Every woman has the right to equal opportunity.” Consistent with that principle is BPWNC’s longstanding opposition to” legislation, public funding and public policies that would impinge on women’s reproductive rights.”
To learn more about legislation we have supported and are currently supporting to promote reproductive rights in California, see the following website pages:
- our 2020 accomplishments at http://bpwnevadacounty.org/platform/public-policy-2020/,
- our 2021 accomplishments at http://bpwnevadacounty.org/public-policy-2021/ and
- our current priorities at http://bpwnevadacounty.org/public-policy-advocacy-2022/.
I hope you are as proud as I am to be a part of an organization that stands up for women as BPWNC does.
Elaine Sierra
Advocacy Chair