Meghan O’Rourke
Because Harris understands that reproductive justice goes beyond abortion
I’m supporting Kamala Harris for president because she’s the only candidate who truly understands the critical threat to women’s rights and reproductive justice posed by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Since 2022, women and pregnant people have faced a devastating reality: limited access to abortion and even basic health care. This is a direct consequence of the abortion bans, which prioritize potential human life over the established human life of the woman carrying it. This is not just a legal issue; it’s a human rights issue.
Surgical care for miscarriages resembles that of abortions, which has led to people with pregnancy complications being denied care, left to suffer, and, as the New York Times has now documented, in some cases, left to die. The current state of affairs is a clear violation of a fundamental human right: the right to health. The World Health Association (WHO) and moral philosophers who work on human rights have described the right to health as one of several “legally binding commitments enshrined in international human rights instruments.” As WHO puts it, “Every human being has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”
Of course, the abortion wars pit two different views of human rights against each other; pro-life cohorts and the far right have long implicitly prioritized potential human life—the embryo—over the established human life of the woman or person carrying that embryo. Now that implicit position has been made all too explicit, as has the fundamental, internalized misogyny of many on the far right.
Harris sees this clearly. She speaks passionately about the fundamental right to health care and reproductive justice and has a clear plan to address them. She will oppose any national ban on abortion and sign into law a bill establishing a federal right to abortion. In addition, Harris understands that reproductive justice goes beyond abortion. She plans to:
Make prenatal care more accessible by expanding Medicaid and providing tax credits for childcare.
Support paid family leave to give parents the time they need to care for newborns and young children.
Fight for equal pay and economic opportunity for women.
Harris is the only candidate in this election who is truly committed to protecting women’s rights and reproductive justice. She has the experience, the passion, and the plan to make a real difference in the lives of women and families. I stand with Kamala Harris to fight for a future where women are treated as full-fledged citizens with human rights.
Meghan O’Rourke is the author of The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness and other books.