June 29, 2022

We’re outraged by the Supreme Court’s latest attack on our civil rights. The decision to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion is already harming women, pregnant people, children, and families across the country — particularly those who already face systemic oppression and discrimination. We’re appalled that six justices overturned a nearly 50-year-old precedent that has been broadly accepted today as a fundamental right for pregnant people. The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson is especially cruel in a country that doesn’t guarantee — and often deprives parents of — prenatal medical care, paid family and sick leave, and quality, affordable early care and education.

Fifty-two years ago, Hawaiʻi led the country in becoming the first state to legalize abortion. Despite that right, many residents today struggle to access abortions and reproductive care, with an even greater burden for those on neighbor islands. We are committed to supporting efforts to expand access to this fundamental right to bodily autonomy in Hawaiʻi, along with requiring insurers to cover the full range of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care, with no cost-sharing.

To support local access to abortions, you can donate to Af3irm Hawaiʻi’s grassroots abortion fund. Learn more at Planned Parenthood’s Bans Off Our Bodies campaign.