Statement from URGE on Alabama Supreme Court Ruling That Frozen Embryos Qualify as Children Under State Law
On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos qualify as children under state law and are subject to legislation dealing with the wrongful death of a minor. This poses serious implications for Alabamans accessing reproductive healthcare and fertility treatments, and sets a dangerous precedent for more fetal personhood laws to be introduced nationwide. In response, Shante Wolfe, Southeastern Field Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “The Alabama Supreme Court’s decision to define ‘personhood’ from the moment of conception will have far-reaching consequences for access to reproductive healthcare, and sweeping implications for fertility treatments across the state. “This decision will impact Alabamans’ ability to make decisions about their own bodies and futures. Personhood laws force people to continue pregnancies against their will, restrict access to… Read more »
Statement from URGE on SCOTUS’ Decision to Take Up Abortion Pill Case
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States announced that it will decide on a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Mifepristone this spring, following their previous decision earlier this year that returned the decision back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mifepristone is a safe and accessible abortion option that has been used by over 5 million people, with a safety record of over 99%. This decision once again puts the future of reproductive freedom for all Americans in the hands of nine justices. In response, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “Once again, our health and futures are in the hands of a Supreme Court who has proven they are willing to take away abortion access… Read more »
Statement from URGE on Ohio’s Historic Abortion Win
The citizen-led “The Right to Protect Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety Amendment” passed, protecting abortion rights in the state. (Columbus, Ohio) – Today, voters throughout Ohio decisively voted in favor of amending the state’s constitution to protect access to abortion. Ohioans United for Reproductive Freedom, the coalition leading this effort, organized thousands of young people and volunteers across the state to deliver a decisive and necessary victory for reproductive rights and justice. URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, has been a leading Executive Committee member of this coalition, bringing the voices of young people, particularly young people of color, to the table for this effort. Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, issued the following statement: “The people of Ohio… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the Georgia Supreme Court’s Ruling on Redistricting Maps
Atlanta, Georgia – On Thursday, October 26th the Georgia Supreme Court ordered Georgia legislators to redraw the proposed federal and state legislative redistricting maps for the 2024 election, declaring that the proposed maps violated the Voting Rights Act by illegally underrepresenting Black voters. Toni Watkins (she/her), Integrated Voter Engagement Director, at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, issued the following statement: “I applaud the district court’s decision ordering Georgia legislators to redraw voting district maps to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The data was clear that Black voters were being targeted for underrepresentation. Voting should be as easy and convenient as possible, however time and again we’ve seen politicians pass measures making it harder to cast a ballot and diluting the voices of historically marginalized people. “Young Black people are watching what… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the Georgia Supreme Court’s Ruling on HB 481
Atlanta, Georgia – On Tuesday, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a lower court’s ruling on HB 481, a bill that blocks physicians from performing abortions after six weeks. This ruling upholds the state’s six-week abortion ban, putting the reproductive rights of Georgians in jeopardy. Shante Wolfe, Southeastern States Field Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, issued the following statement: “The Georgia Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a six week abortion ban endangers the lives of Georgians everywhere by gutting bodily autonomy and decision-making. This is yet another alarming development in the widespread erosion of reproductive rights across our country. “Make no mistake, abortion bans are racist. This decision from the Georgia Supreme Court will disproportionately hurt communities of color in Georgia, a state where the maternal mortality… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the 47th Anniversary of the Hyde Amendment
Saturday, September 30, marks 47 years since Congress first passed the Hyde Amendment, banning insurance coverage for abortion for millions of low-income Americans. The Hyde Amendment, passed each year by Congress, and related policies, force people struggling to make ends meet to pay out of pocket for abortion care. Coupled with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, the Hyde Amendment denies many the ability to make decisions about reproductive health, with the greatest harm befalling young, BIPOC and immigrant communities. In response, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “On the 47th Anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, we solemnly mark another sad day in our nation’s ongoing human rights crisis. The Hyde Amendment is rooted in and continues to perpetuate racist and classist stereotypes… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the Ohio Abortion Ballot Initiative Signature Certification
Ohio state election officials have certified signatures collected in support of the abortion ballot initiative, making Ohio the only state where abortion will appear on the ballot in November Ohio – Today, Ohio state election officials have validated the hundreds of thousands of signatures collected by advocates across the state, confirming that Ohioans will have a say on abortion this November. Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the umbrella organization leading this effort, worked with thousands of young people and volunteers to organize the biggest campaign for reproductive freedom in the nation this year, making Ohio the only state with abortion on the ballot. URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity has been a leading member of this coalition, bringing the voices of young people to the table for this effort… Read more »
Statement from URGE on FDA’s Decision to Approve Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill
On July 13, the FDA approved an over-the-counter birth control pill for the first time in the United States for all people without age restrictions, making it the first birth control pill available without a prescription. This decision will pave the way for easier access to contraceptives for many, especially young people and BIPOC communities who face extraordinary barriers to access. In response to this news, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “We applaud the FDA’s decision to approve an over-the-counter birth control pill, expanding access to contraceptives for young people nationwide. This is a huge win for young people, particularly young people of color as well as queer and trans young folks who face significant barriers in accessing birth control. For… Read more »
Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights File Signatures in Statewide Effort to Place Abortion Rights on November Ballot
URGE, in partnership with reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations, today filed signatures in efforts to place abortion rights on Ohio’s November ballot OHIO — Today, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, in a campaign powered by young people and volunteers from across the state, filed signatures to ensure people in Ohio have the ability to vote on a ballot measure protecting abortion rights in the state. The umbrella organization leading the effort, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, worked hand-in-hand with young people to organize the biggest campaign for reproductive freedom in the nation so far in 2023. State election officials will review signatures by July 25. URGE will now focus on turning out young voters in the August and November elections, which will be pivotal for the future… Read more »
Statement from URGE on One Year After the Dobbs Decision
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, closing the door on federal abortion protections. The decision to overturn 50 years of legal precedent by gutting the right to abortion opened the floodgates for state-level attacks. Immediately following, more than a dozen abortion bans went into effect — eliminating health care options for millions of people across the country. This erasure of reproductive autonomy is part of a larger ideological and political attack on abortion access, transgender young people and democracy. Reflecting on the one-year commemoration of the Dobbs decision, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, said: “The loss of legal abortion in almost half the country has created a public health and human rights crisis, and, sadly, we don’t… Read more »
