Organizers of Michigan abortion ballot proposal campaign say measure goes beyond protecting access

The recent decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade was nothing if not polarizing. Many across the country were devastated — feeling emotionally overwhelmed and scared for a future without abortion access. Others were elated, having worked for decades to overturn the right to an abortion — they felt relief and reassurance that they saved an untold millions of unborn lives.

But those who were hurt by the recent decision have not been sitting on their hands. Across the country, they have been organizing to keep or otherwise ensure that abortion is a right in their respective state. In Michigan, organizers are working to ensure that abortion access is enshrined in the state’s constitution. The organizations leading the charge submitted a record amount of signatures to get the initiative onto the November ballot.

“It would protect the fundamental right to make decisions about pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infant fertility care.” — Loren Khogali, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan.

Listen: Organizers of the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign discuss the ballot proposal.

Guest

Loren Khogali is the executive director at ACLU of Michigan and one of the leaders of the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot initiative campaign. The ballot campaign initiative aims to guarantee access to an abortion in the state’s constitution.

“It would protect the fundamental right to make decisions about pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infant fertility care,” says Khogali.

Nicole Wells Stallworth is the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan. Planned Parenthood is also leading the charge on the ballot initiative campaign. She says, if put on the ballot and passed, the measure would go beyond protecting abortion access, also allowing people to carry out their full reproductive decisions with the facilitation of their doctor.

“There is a component of this that allows the state to regulate at the point of fetal viability, which is a medically determined process that we really feel strongly that it’s really important that people make these decisions between themselves and their medical professionals.”