Brunswick Beacon, 06.20.24
It is urgent that we safeguard women’s reproductive rights in NC. Recent developments in other parts of the country have underscored the precarious nature of these rights. Last year our Republican legislature curtailed them. If Republicans like Mark Robinson win in November, NC’s women could lose their reproductive freedom entirely.
Women’s reproductive rights are fundamental human rights that should not be subject to political interference or ideological agendas. Every individual has the right to control their own body and make decisions about their reproductive health, including whether and when to have children. Yet, too often, these rights are under attack, with attempts to restrict access to essential healthcare services such as abortion, contraception and prenatal care.
Access to those services is essential for women to lead healthy, autonomous lives and to make informed decisions about their futures. The ability to access reproductive healthcare is not just a matter of individual choice but also one of fundamental fairness.
Women from low-income and marginalized communities, women of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, face disproportionate barriers to reproductive healthcare services due to systemic inequities and discrimination. Protecting reproductive rights is essential for advancing social and economic equality for all.
As residents of NC, we have a responsibility to defend the rights of our fellow citizens and to ensure that all individuals have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and lives.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity.” Let us honor her legacy and fight to ensure that every woman in North Carolina has the autonomy and dignity to make decisions about her own reproductive health.
Examine the voting records and/or platforms of our candidates for statewide office. Democrats are committed to protecting women’s reproductive rights and opposing Republican efforts to restrict and undermine women’s access to essential healthcare services.
Michael Maisel
Sunset Beach