Arizona abortion law hits Latinas the hardest. We won't let it stand
As a proud Latina, lifelong public servant and Arizona native, I want to express my utter dismay and disappointment at the Arizona Supreme Court’s draconian abortion ruling.
It adds another layer of cruelty and anguish to minority women when it comes to access to health care and reproductive freedom.
Latinas are the largest group of minority women impacted by abortion bans like the one approved by the Arizona Supreme Court, according to a 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women & Families and the National LatIna Institute for Reproductive Justice.
Nearly 6.7 million Latinas — 43% of all Latinas aged 15-49 — live in Arizona and 25 other states that have banned or are likely to ban abortion, the study found. Arizona is home to 585,600 Latinas of reproductive age, and 262,200 of those are economically insecure, it said.
Latina voters will remember in November
For many, the ability to make decision about their bodies and futures is not just a matter of choice but of survival. They’re struggling to make ends meet and face significant barriers to health care.
Beyond the practical impacts, the ruling strikes at the heart of Latina women’s dignity. It sends a message that their voices are inconsequential in matters of health policy — that they have no say at all.
An extensive poll of Latino voters found 80% support keeping abortion legal. The 2022 survey commissioned by UnidosUS and Mi Familia Vota, two nationally prominent Hispanic groups, should be a wake-up call for both political parties.
Let me declare that Latina women are strong, resilient and angry at this court’s ruling. It’s a rallying point for justice and equality.
We will be heard now and in November.
Mary Rose Garrido Wilcox is a former Maricopa County supervisor and former chairwoman of the Maricopa County Special Health Care District.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona abortion law is another blow to the Latina community
