Marrying LGBTQ Liberation and Reproductive Justice

Advocate (Sept. 19, 2016): An LGBTQ Organization Puts Its Weight Behind Ending an Insidious, Antiwoman Law, by Candace Bond-Theriault:

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, the law that withholds coverage for abortion from women enrolled in Medicaid (with exceptions for rape, incest and physical endangerment).  The law makes true reproductive choice available only to those with the financial means to pay for their care.  This year, United for Abortion Coverage Week (Sept. 25-Oct. 1) will include the National LGBTQ Task Force, which has announced its commitment to fighting anti-choice measures like the Hyde Amendment through its All* Above All initiative.

The inspiration for All* Above All is the "intentional cross-movement collaboration" that can flourish when groups that may appear to have disparate agendas recognize that the people working against them are the same whether they  discriminate against LGBTQ people or actively work to deny access to reproductive health care.  In addition, women who have abortions face stigma in the same way LGBTQ people do.  "The reality remains that LGBTQ people’s access to health care is limited by many intertwined factors, including poverty and racism."

All* Above All is lobbying Congress to pass the Each Woman Act to end bans on abortion coverage.