POWER TO DECIDE STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
(Washington, D.C.) -- In response, Power to Decide Interim CEO, Gillian Sealy issues the following statement:
“As a champion for reproductive health care, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg life’s work provided the steps in which glass ceilings could be reached and shattered. In her 27 years on the bench, Justice Ginsburg instilled in our collective conscience the idea that all people should be provided with the right to decide their life’s purpose irrespective of their gender. Her commitment was influenced by the prejudice and discrimination she experienced as she began her career back in the not-so-good-old-days. In fact, despite graduating first in her law school class, no law firm would hire Justice Ginsburg given there were three strikes against her. In her own words, ‘I was Jewish. Two, I was a woman. But the killer was I was the mother of a four-year-old child.’
“Justice Ginsburg clearly understood laws meant to restrict access to reproductive health care operate mostly to the detriment of communities already impacted by systemic racism and discrimination. Recently, the Court in a 7-2 decision upheld the administration’s rule permitting employers to restrict employees’ coverage of contraception. In her dissent, Justice Ginsburg rightly pointed out the Court ‘left women workers to fend for themselves, to seek contraceptive coverage from sources other than their employer’s insurer and absent another available source of funding to pay for contraception services out of their own pockets.’
“We are grateful to Justice Ginsburg, but actions speak louder than words. As an organization, we will continue our fight to ensure that all people have the access, information, agency and system of support to determine their futures with dignity. As we mourn her passing, let our tribute to Justice Ginsburg be our resolve to ensure that all people have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child.”
Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child. Please visit us at www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
