Read on Twitter
Today, the full 6th Cir. Appeals Court upheld a law criminalizing doctors for providing an abortion if they know part of the patient’s reason relates to a Down syndrome diagnosis. (1/) https://twitter.com/acluohio/status/1382010807660261377?s=20
The hypocrisy here is stunning. Ohio has failed people with disabilities time after time--dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the state by disability rights advocates in recent years. (2/)
This includes multi-year litigation by Disability Rights Ohio & others to prevent long-term segregation of people with disabilities, including people with Down syndrome, in institutions. (3/)
And this law does nothing to protect people with disabilities from coerced sexual and reproductive health decisions, sterilization abuse, and police violence. (4/)
The fact is that forcing someone to carry a pregnancy to term against their will does nothing to tackle ableism and discrimination against people with disabilities. (5/)
Contrary to what some politicians want you to believe advancing the rights of people with disabilities need not compromise other fundamental rights. (6/)
As Susan Mizner & I wrote, “the disability & reproductive rights & justice movements share common goals: for every person to decide what happens to their own body” https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/475807-offensive-hypocrisy-of-banning-abortion-for-a-down-syndrome-diagnosis (7/)
When politicians can force us to make particular decisions about reproduction it hurts all of us. Enough is enough. (/end)
