Yesterday, I joined Governor Pritzker and several of my colleagues for a press conference on the leaked memo from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade.
We came together yesterday because we were angry that access to legal, safe abortions could be taken away from those who need protection the most. We also came together to emphasize that in Illinois, the right to choose will remain the law of the land.
For decades, right wing extremists have waged a war on women in part by attempting to chip away at abortion and reproductive rights. In order to be prepared for the worst case scenario, we passed several bills in recent years to strengthen choice here in our state including HB40, the Reproductive Health Act and the Youth Health and Safety Act.
However, more help is still needed locally, as well as around the country, to ensure that women have the autonomy to make decisions and safely access crucial medical care and support services.
While I am passionately committed to continuing to do everything possible in the legislature to support choice, I am asking you to please join me in lending support to the organizations working on the front lines to provide critical services and advocacy, including Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Personal Pac, Midwest Access Coalition and the Chicago Abortion Fund. Thank you. I continue to wish you and your loved ones good health and peace during this time.
State Rep. Robyn Gabel
Are there any right wing extremist elected officials drafting legislation to restrict abortion in Illinois? If so, Ms. Gabel should specifically call out these right wing extremists who want to restrict abortion and specify how they desire to restrict abortion. Further, why should Ms. Gabel be concerned about (for example) the people of Mississippi when her job is to represent the people of IL-18? The people of Mississippi have no jurisdiction over the abortion laws in Illinois.
Ms. Gabel’s overheated rhetoric adds nothing to the concept of civil discourse when she calls those who disagree with her “extremists”–especially in a community that near 90% votes faithfully for her.
Ms. Gabel can do better.
All this purported ruling did was push this issue to the states. Illinois is a very pro-abortion state and that isn’t going to change. Rather than inflame the community, Ms.. Gabel should have reassured the community and avoid the trope of “right wing extremists”.
Human intimacy is not just about baby making. At a time now more than ever, people need human connection and the result of what people do privately should not necessarily mean that they they have offspring. Quite honestly, what people do privately and their choices are there business and not something that a government really should be legislating about one’s body. Really, it is like Mrs Kravitz on Bewitched who is the nosy neighbor, and people who don’t like what others are doing in their private lives need to myob. Lack of human connection is a mental health issue, as well as making someone have a baby that they for whatever reason can’t or don’t want to have.