Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) is outraged by the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade and revoke 50 years of the constitutional right to an abortion. 

Since Roe v. Wade took place prior to the founding of TACL, there were no official statements from TACL about our stance on abortion rights as an organization, but we now find it necessary to clearly and emphatically state that TACL strongly believes in the following: 1) a person’s right to choose what is best for their reproductive health and planning; 2) access to abortions and reproductive care is a basic human right; and 3) the right of women and all birthing people to have safe access to abortions that is close to where they live and covered by health insurance.

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade endangers the lives and well-being of millions of Americans, especially those in the states where trigger laws are in place to soon ban or set strict limits on abortions. This includes millions impacted in the AAPI and Taiwanese American communities. Based on the latest Census data, we estimate that more than 100,000 Taiwanese Americans (or roughly one-third of all Taiwanese Americans) live in states where abortion is soon expected to become illegal, including Texas and Georgia, home to our TAP-Austin and TAP-Atlanta chapters, as well as vibrant Taiwanese American communities. Some of these states have proposed laws to ban abortion outright and criminalize those who provide abortion services, thereby forcing those needing an abortion to seek alternatives which are much more dangerous or to travel hundreds or thousands of miles across state lines to find a provider. 

We are also deeply concerned about Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion that specifically calls into question other Supreme Court decisions relating to rights to same-sex marriage, privacy in the bedroom, and access to contraceptives. TACL believes these are also established fundamental rights that are protected by the Constitution and should not be revoked.

If the current Supreme Court will not uphold these basic human rights, then we must urgently advocate with federal and state legislatures to codify these reproductive rights into law.

What You Can Do:

  • Call and write to your local state and federal representatives and governors, demanding them to pass laws protecting access to abortion and reproductive care. 
  • Vote in this year’s Primary and General Elections for legislators, representatives, and governors who support reproductive rights and access to abortion.
  • Donate to local clinics and abortion funds that help cover operating, transportation, and lodging costs for those who have to travel across state lines to find an abortion provider.
  • Join a rally or protest and make your voices heard in the streets.

This will not be an easy battle to restore reproductive rights across the country, but it is a fight that must be fought, and together, we can make our voices heard. Together, we can win.

#TaiwaneseStrong #mybodymychoice #abortionrights 

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