NCJW Sacramento says #BansOffOurBodies!
NCJW Sacramento #73Forward and our Jewish faith partners gathered at the Federal Courthouse in Downtown Sacramento on May 3, 2022 to declare “abortion is healthcare” and protest the draft Supreme Court decision which would overturn the Roe v. Wade constitutional protection of abortion access.
A leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization explicitly overturns Roe v. Wade. This is an unprecedented leak from the Court that, if it holds, would reverse nearly 50 years of precedent and explicitly end federal constitutional protections for abortion. It’s also a threat to other basic civil and human rights, like the right to marry whom we love or access contraception, as they are rooted in the same constitutional right to privacy as Roe.
The threat to abortion access across the country is not hypothetical — our right to abortion is being crushed right now. The consequences of this impending Supreme Court decision will be swift and devastating for communities nationwide. Overturning Roe means 26 states could move to ban abortion, including 13 states with laws that could immediately go into effect. That means in half the country, people would no longer have power over their own bodies and their own lives. That means 36 million women — nearly half of the women of reproductive age (18-49) in the United States — plus people who can become pregnant, could soon lose abortion access.
The Jewish community has long worked together to protect and expand access to abortion. This is a moment for us to raise our voices in solidarity to defend our most basic human right to bodily autonomy and to protect our religious freedom. NCJW Sacramento has been active in this fight and will continue to do so. We have created the #73Forward committee to implement the strategy of NCJW’s campaign and to take local and state action. The Section will keep you informed of the ways our voices will be heard on this most fundamental concern for all.
The fight for abortion access needs your voice. To receive action alerts on state and federal legislation, please click here to join the NCJW California Rapid Response Team. Visit the national campaign, 73Forward.org, for ongoing information.