WMJM Denounces Ruling on Reproductive Justice
The Western Methodist Justice Movement denounces Dobbs v. Jackson, the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. We affirm the sacred worth of those who are or may become pregnant and believe that all people have a right to privacy in medical care and treatment.
We believe that people of faith should embrace the cause of reproductive justice and stand up for the bodily autonomy, dignity, equity, and human rights of all people. We continue to see an implicit right to privacy in the Constitution. Stripping people of their own agency over their bodies and right to privacy is not an acceptable action by any judicial body.
We cannot be silent in the face of the harm done to people by this Supreme Court ruling. This ruling places in jeopardy the lives, physical and emotional health, and spiritual well-being of people throughout our country. It disproportionately punishes those already on the margins of society and places them under greater financial and emotional strain.
In the face of calls for the Supreme Court to extend the judicial reasoning in Dobbs v. Jackson to all decisions based on the right to privacy, we call on all people to engage in well-facilitated conversations about abortion care, reproductive health, and the intersections of health care, racism, poverty, sexism, and heterosexism, prioritizing compassion over judgment.
As United Methodists we are called to Do No Harm and Love Our Neighbors. We urge you to engage in actions in your own community through any of the following ways:
Contact your local representatives and demand they vote yes on the Women's Health Protection Act: https://actforwomen.org/take-action/
Donate to local abortion funds and providers.
Participate in local events and protests in your community.
Register to Vote and/or help others to register to vote at www.vote.gov
Vote in the upcoming Midterm Elections
WMJM Also supports the recent statement from the United Methodist Council of Bishops on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Saying in part:
“The decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade represents one of those complex issues and difficult days. The issuance of this ruling has denied the sacred worth of women who face “the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion.
This historic decision serves to create a further divide between persons of privilege who have the means to seek necessary health care and those who lack this privilege due to their current economic condition, their disproportionately affected lives, or the color of their skin.”
We commend them for taking a strong stance in support of reproductive rights. Read and share their full statement.