And joining me now to talk about how her group will respond to today's
decision is Kelly Davis, She's executive director for the new Voices
for Reproductive Justice. That's a nonprofit working in Ohio and
Pennsylvania to help black women girls and trans people. Kelly Davis,
Welcome to the news hour. Thank you for joining us. Tell me about
what this decision means specifically for the people.
You serve And what are they telling you today? Well, today is a devastating
day. But if you're surprised you haven't been paying attention as
we've heard throughout today's broadcast. Folks have been working
in concert across this nation to limit folks humans rights, including
access to, um comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care,
which includes abortion across the two states that we represent.
We know
That those that are most impacted by abortion restrictions are black
women and gender, expansive folks. So let me ask you about Ohio and
Pennsylvania, where you also work because a lot of folks predict
now because of the tightening rules in Ohio, and as you just heard
that so called heartbeat bill, just going into effect there.
Pennsylvania providers will see a surge of women coming in from Ohio
from West Virginia from elsewhere. Can you handle that? Can other
providers handle that? Do you have the resources you need?
Well for the states where abortion is still legal to absorb, Um
The influx of patients from states where abortion is now illegal
because of trigger bands. Uh, we know that that can't possibly be
the case. Also, not everyone has the means to be able to travel again.
Folks that are disabled folks that are living in poverty, who do
not have access to sick leave or childcare are having challenges
traveling also to ask a health care system, which has been plagued
by infectious disease.
And record numbers of rig resignations and ill health care workforce
to absorb even more.
Of influx of patients is morally and epidemiologically unconscionable.
Kill. You Just heard Michael gonna doctors say that he is confident.
There are state resources available in Ohio. They will step up. They
will support these women. Do you believe that will happen?
No, because it hasn't happened. States have have had horrible, um,
budget deficits because of the covid 19 pandemic and Ohio We have
Children today. Living in poverty, right? We have, uh, influence
infant formula shortage right and so and worsening.
Black maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, and that was with
role being the law of the land. Without it. We all know those things
are going to skyrocket, causing widespread death and disability,
which mains communities of color the most.
So once abortions now, as we know, are essentially banned in Ohio.
Just give me a real life example here. If there's a woman there,
this new heart heartbeat Bill has gone into effect. She becomes pregnant.
She wants to end her pregnancy. What are her options? What can she
do?
Well, um, I just wanted to say that a six week abortion ban is effectively
100% abortion ban because the vast majority of people do not know
that they're pregnant within six weeks.
Um there, uh, pregnancy And so now, this person this hypothetical
person with this is the real life for tens of thousands of people
across the state have to secure childcare have to take off of work
sometimes have to travel to neighboring states that require multiple
doctors. Visits have to pay out of pocket.
Right. All of those things we know, um particularly marginalized
groups do not have access to, but that's what we're committed within
the reproductive justice movement to giving folks
The access that they need Wherever abortion is illegal today. Kelly
Davidson, the few seconds we have left. How does this change the
work you do? What are you doing differently today that you weren't
doing before.
It doesn't change anything. We're just working smarter, harder, faster
with more commitment and passion. Now, more than ever. That is Kelly
Davis, executive director of the new Voices for Reproductive Justice.