amNewYork: Women’s Rights Groups Celebrate New York ERA Passage
In a victory for reproductive rights, New Yorkers voted for Proposition 1, also known as the Equal Right Amendment (ERA), to protect abortion in their city. But Wednesday’s presidential election results provides several reasons for pro-choice activists to be worried. amNewYork tapped local reproductive and women’s rights experts on what to expect, and how to move forward.
“Prop 1 strengthens critical protections for women and transgender people, so that, at least in New York, each of us is free to choose our own path,” said Executive Director, Alexia Korberg.
Read their full statement on the issue below. And read the full piece from amNewYork here.
Alexia Korberg on Proposition 1 Passing in New York City
“Prop 1 is a vital step towards protecting autonomy, safety, and the right of each of us to define our own life trajectory here in New York. Core to the right to liberty protected by our federal and state constitutions is our right to make decisions about our bodies, our health, and our futures, and I am grateful that New Yorkers have voted to make that explicit. With bodily autonomy increasingly under threat at the federal level, it becomes ever more important that states act to safeguard these most fundamental rights. Her Justice has worked with survivors of intimate partner violence for over 30 years. We know all too well what studies show: that pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for women in abusive relationships, with markedly increased risk of violence. And we have seen time and again how abusers exploit pregnancy to control their partners—through financial dependence, coercion, or isolation—and the devastating consequences for women who become legally tethered to their abusers through childbirth. These risks are even more acute for people of color and those living in poverty, who face compounding barriers to safety and healthcare due to systemic inequities. Prop 1 strengthens critical protections for women and transgender people, so that, at least in New York, each of us is free to choose our own path.”
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