The Supreme Court recently granted the stay of mifepristone, one of the medications used in a medication abortion. Their ruling reiterates the safety and efficacy of mifepristone, which has been used by over 5 million Americans. Mifepristone is, and always has been safe. Here in PA, over half of the abortions we provide at Planned Parenthood Keystone are medication abortions.
Unfortunately, anti-abortion extremists have weaponized the judicial system to achieve their goal of a national abortion ban. Because of politically motivated restrictions on patients seeking abortions like mandatory waiting periods, doctor-only provisions, and lack of state funding, abortion remains inaccessible. None of these restrictions are based on scientific evidence, and they all keep patients from accessing safe and effective healthcare. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence and public opinion, extremists continue to try and strip away the rights of people to control their bodies. We are now seeing this play out in ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and, specifically, attacks on transgender people.
Access to abortion and gender affirming healthcare are both bodily-autonomy issues that are essential and safe, and both are being used to harm and stigmatize Pennsylvanians. We must pay attention to attacks on transgender youth and abortion because they are coming from the same playbook and are denying people fundamental rights to control their own body to live their fullest and most authentic lives. Planned Parenthood Keystone is committed to this fight and will continue providing the excellent healthcare that patients need, no matter what.