Abortion Rights are Inextricably Tied to Social and Economic Justice Movements

Unions and worker justice organizations fight every day for people’s ability to have autonomy over their lives, including the right to organize, good jobs that include access to healthcare, benefits, increased pay, safe and healthy workplaces, and more. Abortion bans threaten working people because being forced to continue a pregnancy may lead to income or job loss and make it harder to take care of themselves or their families. Union members strongly support abortion access, with three in five union members saying they would be more favorable to their union if it came out in support of abortion access. Unions are uniquely equipped to ensure their members get the health care they need and defend their members from attacks on their freedom, including their reproductive freedom.

Abortion bans and restrictions disproportionately impact LGBTQI+ communities, who already face compounding health disparities and worse health outcomes, especially when it comes to reproductive and sexual healthcare. Attacks on abortion care and gender-affirming care are attacks on the same basic right to self-determination and bodily autonomy. Policies attempting to prevent people from receiving either form of care ultimately serve to obstruct both and deprive many of the most underserved communities of life-saving care. Opponents of LGBTQI+ equality and abortion rights have long recognized the links between these issues. The same forces have been trying to punish and control women’s and LGBTQI+ people’s bodies and families—often at the same time. We must work together to protect fundamental freedoms for all people and stop the criminalization of our lives and our health care. 

Child care and abortion access are both foundational to parenting with dignity. Access to abortion and access to affordable, high-quality child care are central to an individual’s and family’s autonomy and economic security, with implications for a parent’s or caregiver’s health, financial well-being, job security, workforce participation, family relationships, and educational attainment. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, people seeking abortion care are increasingly forced to travel for care, which often involves paying for lodging, transportation, and child care, sometimes for several days. Approximately 60 percent of women seeking abortions already have one child. We must come together to build a world where both abortion care and child care are available when we need it, without barriers based on who we are, where we are from, or how much we earn. 

People deserve access to abortion, without the fear of losing their housing or going into debt. But for people who want to end their pregnancies, housing insecurity might mean the difference between paying for an abortion and paying for rent. Being denied an abortion can exacerbate housing insecurity and the people most harmed by abortion bans and restrictions also face higher housing insecurity. Where someone lives also has a great impact on their access (or lack thereof) to abortion care. People have more control over their economic security when they can make their own decisions about their bodies and what’s best for their families. Abortion access and housing security work in tandem to support people’s self-determination and control over their futures.