RALEIGH, N.C. – The following statement was issued by American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Executive Director Chantal Stevens in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:
“The ability to make decisions about one’s own body, health, and future is a fundamental human right and enshrined in our constitution. Today, the Supreme Court has made a decision that will eliminate that right for millions. The fight for Roe may be over, but the fight for our right to bodily autonomy will carry on.
“Abortion is still legal in North Carolina. Today, people can go to their appointments to receive safe, legal abortion care. In this critical time, providers will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that patients can access the care they need.
“North Carolina already has several laws that unreasonably restrict access to abortion, including a 72-hour waiting period, one of the longest in the country. Governor Cooper has successfully prevented further restrictions from going into effect, but we continue to face frequent and extreme attacks on our rights from state legislators. It is imperative that North Carolinians turn out to vote in November and elect lawmakers who will fight for our right to control our own bodies.
“Attacks on abortion access disproportionately impact North Carolinians who are already marginalized, including women of color, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and low-income communities. Further restrictions will only worsen existing disparities and push abortion out of reach for our most vulnerable community members.
“The ACLU of North Carolina will continue to fight for the 30,000 patients who rely on abortion care each year, families and communities caught in the cycle of poverty and subject to systemic racism, and the advocates who have been fighting to protect access to reproductive health care for all of us in North Carolina.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to remove our federal constitutional right to safe, legal abortion puts lives at risk. But the ACLU of North Carolina will continue to fight for abortion rights in our state. We are not backing down, and neither should you.”
June 24, 2022
