A woman's health decisions should always remain between her, her doctor, and anyone else she may choose to bring into that conversation. I firmly believe that the government – local, state, or federal – has no place in a woman’s healthcare choices, and if a woman wants an abortion or any other reproductive health service, she should be able to safely and affordably access it. The Supreme Court of the United States codified this belief in Roe v. Wade, yet reproductive rights are still under attack today. Our state has a responsibility to defend reproductive rights and ensure no one lacks access to quality reproductive health care.

While I believe we should make abortion procedures legal, available, and affordable for any woman who chooses to undergo one, we should also focus on reducing the need for abortions, especially among our youth population. An age-appropriate, modernized sex education curriculum is lacking in our schools, which is leading to an increased need for abortions among our youth, especially those lacking financial resources. To combat high teen pregnancy rates and a greater need for reproductive health services, our public schools and universities should also be adequately equipped with birth control products to provide to their students for free and with discretion.

Women’s healthcare issues also frequently intersect with racial justice issues. Women of color disproportionately face barriers to accessing safe reproductive health care, and the mortality rate for Black mothers is two to five times higher than white mothers. In addressing access to reproductive health care, the Commonwealth must also address the racial disparities that are intertwined with this issue and ensure that all women, regardless of race, have access to quality reproductive health care.

As reproductive rights continue to be threatened across the country, Massachusetts must lead the way, as it has been doing for decades, in supporting a woman's right to choose.

As your State Representative, I will work to: 

• Support and advocate for the passage of the ROE Act. 

• Fight for age-appropriate sex education curriculum in Massachusetts schools to reflect advancements in modern science. 

• Advocate for the removal of barriers to quality reproductive and maternal health care which women of color disproportionately face.

  • The ROE Act addresses the impact of restrictions on reproductive health care on women of color, one of the many reasons why I support the bill.

• Ensure Massachusetts public schools and universities can provide free birth control and emergency contraceptives at students who need it.

  • These products should be provided to students for free and with discretion.

On this issue, I am proud to be endorsed by:

• Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Haddad (5th Bristol), author of the ROE Act

• Rep. Jim O’Day (14th Worcester), author of the Healthy Youth Act