Georgia Organizations Stand with Groups Challenging the Six-Week Abortion Ban

Jill Heaviside
Jul 8, 2019
2 min read

Updated: Jul 11, 2019

Members of the Georgia Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition Support Georgia-Based Advocacy Organizations and Healthcare Providers in their Recently Filed Lawsuit, SisterSong v. Brian Kemp

On Friday, June 28th, SisterSong, Feminist Women’s Health Center, Planned Parenthood Southeast, the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia and others filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of HB481 - Governor Kemp’s recent anti-abortion legislation. Challengers are planning to file a motion to block the bill from going into effect while litigation continues.

The undersigned members of the Georgia Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Coalition support our partners for their courage and persistence in continuing the fight for reproductive justice and freedom. By serving as named plaintiffs, SisterSong, Feminist Women’s Health Center, and Planned Parenthood Southeast are ensuring that the rights and interests of those most affected - particularly low-income women, women of color, and queer and trans communities - are centered in this work and the ACLU of Georgia is continuing to support our advocacy work by bringing the fight to the courts.

HB481, signed last month, would effectively ban all abortion procedures in Georgia after six weeks, before most people even know they are pregnant. This new law is set to go into effect in January 2020 and, until then, legal abortion services will continue to be available in Georgia up until 22 weeks from a person’s last period.

We acknowledge that we do not live single issue lives, which means that we are constantly meeting at the intersection of various issues that influence why people in our communities make the decisions that are best for themselves and their families. With that, it would be remiss not to note that restrictions like HB481 disproportionately affect the health and autonomy of communities like ours – those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color; LGBTQI folks; immigrants; and those striving to make ends meet.

We stand in solidarity with the seven out of ten Georgia voters who support the legal right to abortion and who oppose attacks on abortion access and reproductive justice. At a time when states are criminalizing people - like Marshae Jones in Alabama - for pregnancy loss and when trans women - particularly black and indigenous trans women of color - are experiencing extreme rates of murder and violence we must continue fighting against all assaults on our bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.

Abortion is healthcare and healthcare is a human right, full stop. All Georgians deserve the right to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive health, families, and lives. We are optimistic that the United States District Court will follow the lead of other courts - including the Supreme Court - and block or strike down this unjust restriction on the basic human right to bodily autonomy.