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Dear DEM community,
On Friday, June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade; a seminal ruling in American history that had guaranteed safe access to reproductive care for many women for decades. This is the first time in U.S. history that the Supreme Court has taken away a right that was guaranteed. As a community of scientists and health care providers, we strongly oppose this decision, which is already leaving many in the US without safe access to reproductive care, including medically safe abortions. The right to bodily autonomy and safe access to reproductive care is a human right, and loss of access will have a severe disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. Our moral duty is to protect these rights for our staff, trainees, and patients. We acknowledge the warranted grief, stress, and anger this decision has inflicted on our community members. We reaffirm our commitment to provide a safe space and advocate for universal and equitable access to reproductive care for all. Collectively, we can take many actions such as calling congresspeople to draft protective legislation, supporting local abortion funds beyond Planned Parenthood, publicly demonstrating solidarity and allyship, and acknowledging the weight this decision has on our individual and collective mental health. As a community of scientists, we also recognize the pivotal role that reproductive agency plays in the careers of women in science and beyond, and expect that SCOTUS’s decision will have severe consequences on equitable access to STEM education and training, further excluding historically marginalized people from the production of knowledge. We fully condemn the decision and the inequitable consequences it will have on many for years to come.
The following are some resources you can access during this challenging time:
you can contact the following campus resources:
We also encourage you to discuss this among yourselves and your friends and colleagues.
Sincerely,
The Division of Experimental Medicine Faculty
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