Op-Ed: Queer People Need Access to Abortions, Too

A group of women stand in front of the Capitol building. One speaks at a podium that has a sign attached to it which reads "#4EACHofUs". There is a sign displayed that reads: Abortion coverage bans interfere with a woman's personal decisions. Restricting Medicaid coverage of abortion forces one in four poor women seeking abortion to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term." “Jessica González-Rojas – #4EACHofUs” by National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health/Flickr CC By 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Candace Bond-Theriault, an “out-and-proud Black bi femme,” wrote this op-ed to call for better inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the fight for abortion access.

In conversations about reproductive rights, the needs of LGBTQ+ people are often erased despite the fact that we face even greater barriers to getting the reproductive health care we need. I need access to the same exact reproductive healthcare that cisgender heterosexual women need. I need access to birth control, testing for sexually-transmitted infections, abortion, and culturally competent providers who understand my sexuality and my life, ones that will ensure that I get to lead the conversation during a doctor’s visit and encourage me to ask for what I need instead of making uninformed assumptions.”

https://www.out.com/health/2019/3/12/op-ed-queer-people-need-access-abortions-too