Black Women Demand Supreme Court Protect Abortion Rights in Louisana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Racine Tucker-Hamilton, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
202.545.7660 or 301.922.8417

In response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision to grant certiorari in the June Medical Services, LLC v. Gee case, which challenges Louisiana’s admitting privileges law and, if allowed to take effect, would leave only ONE doctor to provide abortion care in the entire state, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and President, Marcela Howell and Women With A Vision Executive Director Deon Haywood, issued the following statement:

“As was predicted with the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy and the egregious nomination and confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh just one year ago, we see yet another deliberate attempt to erode our human and civil rights as the Court takes up a case that was already decided with Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt three years ago. We have said it time and time again, Black women, all women of color, and the LGBTQ+ community will lose the most if the right to abortion is not protected. We hope the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold precedent and protect the right to abortion for those in Louisiana. Reproductive Justice demands that we have the right to control our bodies, our sexuality, our gender, our work and our reproduction. We know this right will only be achieved when we have complete bodily autonomy. We will not be silent while the white, male patriarchy attacks our rights. We will fight back and stand ready to make it clear what is at stake for Black Louisianians.”

About the Case:
June Medical Services sued the state of Louisiana in court to challenge the constitutionality of a Louisiana law that requires doctors providing abortions in the state to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the place where the doctor provides abortion care. The federal district court ruled for the abortion providers, finding that the law is unconstitutional, however, the federal appeals court reversed, finding that the law is constitutional. June Medical Services filed a request with the Supreme Court, asking them to review the Louisiana law and decide if it is constitutional. Today, the Court decided to review the case and will hear oral arguments in early 2020 with a likely decision in Spring 2020. The law will not go into effect while the Supreme Court is reviewing the case.

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In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national reproductive justice organization focused on lifting up the voices of Black women at the national and regional levels in our ongoing policy fight to secure reproductive justice for all women and girls. Our eight strategic partners include Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Sisterlove, Inc., SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center, and Women With A Vision.