The Dobbs Supreme Court decision ending Roe v Wade was an outrageous attack on basic human rights and the unweaving of the American freedoms enumerated through the Reconstruction Amendments. Abortion is healthcare. Choice is a right. Reproductive justice is LGBTQ justice. Our fights are inexorably connected. States across the country now threaten to imprison anyone seeking an abortion or providing health care.
Across our country, we are seeing violent attacks against the LGBTQ community, the murder of our trans siblings, and anti-LGBTQ legislation all on the rise. As courts and legislatures target our community, some legislation has proposed jail time for our community with laws that would separate children from their parents and put them in prison. Our country has gotten all too comfortable with this practice, which is why California is joining 18 other states in offering legal refugee to trans youth and the families displaced by criminalization.
It is absolutely unjust for the right to bodily autonomy to vary depending on the state you live in, who you are, or who you love. Reproductive justice must be applicable to all people, regardless of state lines. LGBTQ Americans must be allowed to exist freely and fairly without regard to where we live, work, or travel. It is beyond enraging to think anyone is being threatened with prison for seeking life-saving health care, but these are the extremist White Nationalist values that we are fighting.
California is set to again lead this fight, as our own out and proud Senate President pro tempore, Toni Atkins, along with our governor, and a coalition of legislators and providers have championed Prop 1 that will protect our right to choose. If passed, Prop 1 will amend our California Constitution to expressly include our fundamental individual right to have an abortion, and our choice to use or refuse contraceptives.
There is no reproductive justice without LGBTQ justice. There is no LGBTQ justice without reproductive justice. For these reasons, San Diego Pride is taking an official position and asking you all to vote Yes on Prop 1.
You can help us in this fight:
This election cycle we have seen how extremists are again using lies and fear tactics around LGBTQ people and reproductive choice to drive voter turnout from those who seek to harm us. Let’s show them that we aren’t going down without a fight. Our movements are connected. We must show up for each other in our moments of celebration and moments of need. That is how we pursue Justice with Joy!
With Pride,
Fernando Zweifach López
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Executive Director | San Diego Pride
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
