A Faith Response to
the Threat to Roe vs Wade
Dear Ones,
Many of us experienced the leaked draft Supreme Court decision essentially voiding Roe vs. Wade as an earthquake. For many women, in particular, this was both a frightening omen of a more dangerous and oppressive future, and familiar reminder that in the United States a woman’s right to agency, self-determination, and bodily autonomy are sometimes granted, but have never been enshrined.
Not everyone at UUCA—or in the Unitarian Universalist community broadly—has shared views on the issue of abortion. That’s OK—we are strong enough to hold moral complexity and differences of opinion.
Our shared values are where we find common ground. At UUCA, we affirm that each of our lives is sacred. We hold that everyone of us should have the power to decide what does and doesn’t happen to our bodies because consent and bodily autonomy are holy. We face complexity with discernment, compassion, and reason. We pursue equity, because we don’t exclude any people from our human family.
Roe v. Wade does not guarantee access to abortion—it simply places limits on the restrictions that states can impose. The reality is that many Black, Brown, and Indigenous people, and people with low incomes, have always lacked sufficient access to reproductive healthcare, including abortions. Now several states are ready to immediately restrict or even criminalize abortion broadly. When disparities, societal norms, or the law make it difficult for certain groups of people to exercise autonomy over their own bodies, our faith compels us to take liberatory action.
Unitarian Universalists have been engaged in such work of liberation for decades. In our own state, our UU Legislative Ministry joined with others to pass into law Maryland’s Abortion Access Bill. Currently, two-thirds of Maryland counties do not have an abortion provider. Starting July 1, 2022, this bill will ensure that private insurance covers abortion for Marylanders without cost-sharing; provide equity in abortion care coverage for Marylanders covered by Medicaid; and remove the restriction that allowed only physicians to perform abortions. Further, it created a $3.5 million fund to train qualified health care practitioners in abortion care. However, Governor Hogan is using his discretionary budgetary power to withhold the $3.5 million for training this year.
Maryland clinics have already had an influx of patients from outside of Maryland. Though we in Maryland are protected from any immediate impact of the expected overturning of Roe vs. Wade, we recognize that we are part of the larger reproductive landscape.
We will continue. In the coming months, we will go on a learning and action journey. More information will be coming out about UUCA programs. In the meantime, consider the following invitations:
- Attend a Planned Parenthood rally this Saturday, May 14, noon – 2 pm at the War Memorial Plaza in Baltimore. RSVP to Ashley Egan.
- Financially support abortion access through Planned Parenthood.
- RSVP for the June 18 Poor People’s Campaign Rally in D.C., as they seek to build a moral and liberatory movement.
- Email me, if you are interested in occasionally providing rides, housing, serving as a walking escort to and from appointments, or providing other support for abortion patients in need.
- Read “A Progressive Faithful Response to the Loss of Roe–and More,” which includes a section specifically for white people about avoiding the White Savior Complex.
In love and solidarity,
Rev. Anastassia