TO THE EDITOR:
Thursday, Sept. 28 is International Safe Abortion Day.
It is important to remember that abortion has not always been safe or legal in this country. Even now, access to abortion is being circumvented by legislative action and continued stigma: with some states having only one abortion clinic. Each year, 21.6 million women and girls will undergo an unsafe abortion (85.6 percent in the developing world), and 47,000 of them will die.
This is not because abortions are unsafe. Less than 1 percent of abortions result in complications in the United States. It is important that people have information about abortions and access to contraceptives and abortion care.
Here is where Global Gag Rule comes in. This policy prevents any U.S. NGO receiving U.S. aid from providing counseling, training, information, referrals that mentions abortion.
Preventing access to safe abortions will not stop girls, women, trans people, intersex people from having them. People performed abortions before any law rendered it legal or before it was safe and will continue to do. Access to safe, legal, unburdened abortion is a right.
Marie Sintim
Women’s & Gender Studies
