MAJORITY RULE 2Our Bodies Are Respected
The healthcare system takes our needs seriously, from medical treatment to making decisions about if and when to start a family.
Every year, approximately 700 women die from pregnancy or its complications.
The fight to realize the second Majority Rule may be the most salient and bold endeavor of our time. Right now, lawmakers across the country are seeking to restrict the freedom of women to access the education, resources, and care that we deem necessary for our health and wellbeing. One thing is abundantly clear — these policies are not about healthcare. They are about controlling women and people who can become pregnant.
For there to be true bodily autonomy, our healthcare system must respect the dignity and bodily autonomy of all women. The second Majority Rule also demands that we name and combat systemic inequities which prevent Black, Indigenous, and other women of color, pregnant people, and trans women from attaining equitable access to high-quality healthcare and health outcomes. Every year, approximately 700 women die from pregnancy or its complications, and the maternal mortality crisis is deadliest for women of color.
State lawmakers can protect our right to bodily autonomy by:
- Codifying the right to abortion and expanding access to abortion care by preventing the criminalization of pregnancy.
- Expanding access to contraceptive care by broadening who can prescribe contraception.
- Addressing disparate health outcomes by requiring implicit bias training for medical providers.
Click to hear from Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales