January 22, 2019

Ms. Foundation Speaks Out on 46th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Ms. Foundation Speaks Out on 46th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

NEW YORK (January 22, 2019) – Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Teresa C. Younger released the following statement on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion:

“As we mark the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it is clear that the promise of this landmark decision has not yet been fully realized. We have seen that full access to reproductive health care is far from reach, and the politics of patriarchy and misogyny have placed a woman’s right to choose further into question.

“President Trump, his administration, and many legislators in state houses and Governor’s offices across the country have continued to tout their disrespect for women, their health care and their bodily autonomy. The stakes for women are too high to allow this to continue.

“Despite Roe v. Wade being the law of the land, women face incredible barriers when it comes to access to abortion, and in almost every aspect of reproductive health, women of color have poorer outcomes than white women. Communities of color, especially those in the South, face some of the most restrictive abortion laws and limits to their ability to access safe and legal abortion. Coupled with the distinct levels of racial and gender discrimination within the healthcare system, it is no surprise that Black and Hispanic women have higher rates of maternal mortality, dying at higher percentages than white women during pregnancy.

“The Ms. Foundation for Women and our grantee partners are committed to protecting Roe v. Wade and trusting women to make the decisions that are best for them. We refuse to allow our bodies to be criminalized, and we will not be silenced in the fight for our health. We will continue to support a woman’s right to choose when and if to be a parent and to do so with dignity. Together we will continue to fight to protect the rights of all women.”

Ms. Foundation spokespeople are available for interviews by phone or in-person from NYC. To schedule, please contact Sunshine Sachs at [email protected].

###

For over 40 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has worked to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. The Ms. Foundation invests in, and strengthens the capacity of women led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change in the lives of women. With equity and inclusion as the cornerstones of true democracy, the Ms. Foundation works to create a world in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued, and power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.