June 24, 2022
Dear Washingtonians,
I want to be clear: abortion remains legal in Washington, DC.
We stand with the majority of Americans who believe that a woman should have autonomy over her own body.
Still, I know that after today's decision, Washingtonians are worried. We know that without statehood, DC is vulnerable. But we will keep fighting. We will stand with our partners at Planned Parenthood, with health care workers across our city, with our Congresswoman and our Council, and we won't back down. We know how to defend our city and our values. I know that today was heartbreaking, but we stand on the shoulders of generations of women who fought for us to have control of our bodies and our futures.
We are fighting for access to health care and autonomy over our own bodies. We are fighting for the rights of women and girls. We are fighting against what we know could come next—restrictions on the use of contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage. We are fighting for our country's democracy. And the fight is urgent.
We must work together, as a country, to ensure our institutions represent the values of our nation. We need the Congress to act now—to pass laws that protect women and girls. And we must work together, with Americans from across the country, to ensure the 700,000 Americans living and paying taxes in DC get the two senators we deserve and who will represent our values, especially when it comes to decisions about who will serve on the Supreme Court.
We are going to do everything in our power to make sure we remain a safe city for abortion care and a legal city for abortion care. And I leave you with these words from Laura Meyers, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC: We are not going back and we are not backing down.
Sincerely,
 |
