The Community Foundation of Howard County, the Horizon Foundation, and the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County stand in solidarity with women across our community who are shocked and saddened by today’s Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This decision denies women the right to make health care decisions about their own bodies previously deemed to be a constitutional right for the past 50 years. The decision disproportionately impacts low-income women and women of color who historically lack equal access to health care. As philanthropists who have come together to speak out against injustices and who care deeply about women’s rights, racial equity and reproductive health as part of overall maternal and child health, we strongly condemn this decision. We will work to ensure all women in Maryland are able to access a full range of reproductive health services and will continue to stand in solidarity with all who oppose this rollback of women’s rights.
“I remember women pouring into the streets to celebrate the passage of Roe vs. Wade in 1973,” stated Beverly White-Seals, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “The days of secret abortions in the basements of dark buildings carried out by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that did not conform to minimal standards were finally over. Although this decision leaves reproductive rights up to state legislatures, those states that implement the more restrictive policies will likely have the greatest adverse impact on our most vulnerable citizens.”
“As a community leader, as a mother and as a grandmother, it’s sad to see that my daughter’s generation might not have the same rights to choose the course of her life and body that I had at her age. As an attorney, its stunning to see the Supreme Court cut back on personal rights and freedoms rather than expand them.”