December 14, 2023
WFSA supports Planned Parenthood in the effort to ensure access to abortion in our state, pending a decision from the Arizona Supreme Court.
As Arizona awaits the decision from the Arizona Supreme Court regarding the Planned Parenthood v Mayes case, the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) reiterates that it stands with Planned Parenthood and advocates to secure abortion access in our state. Currently, Arizonans experience an abortion ban at 15 weeks of pregnancy through a statute enacted in 2022 and prior to the Dobbs decision. If the Arizona Supreme Court decides to uphold the territorial ban of an 1864 law, it would be detrimental for pregnant people in Arizona. The archaic law would impose a ban on abortions in Arizona, with the sole exception being in the event the pregnant individual’s life is in danger. This means there are no exceptions for rape or incest.
WFSA’s Chief of Staff, Angela Florez, states “A ban on abortion would be catastrophic for the well-being of our communities and is deeply out of touch with the will of the majority of Arizonans.” Florez emphasizes that “families and individuals in Arizona deserve the freedom to make their own decisions about their reproductive health, and it is up to the Arizona Supreme Court to faithfully apply its own precedent and affirm that right.”
WFSA recognizes that bans and restrictions on abortion access will not reduce the need for abortions. Instead, it forces people to carry unwanted pregnancies, seek abortion outside of the health care system, or bear the financial burden of traveling hundreds or thousands of miles for care. Abortion bans are rooted in America’s legacy of discrimination. A near-total abortion ban will have the greatest impact on Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color, young people, LGBTQ+ people, and undocumented people.
Access to abortion healthcare is essential. WFSA cannot, and will not, stop fighting to protect and expand access to reproductive healthcare in Arizona. This case will not be the last attempt by anti-abortion activists to roll back rights and take autonomy away from individuals. WFSA’s work includes supporting the initiative to put a measure enshrining reproductive rights on the 2024 ballot. WFSA will continue to stand with and work alongside Planned Parenthood and other allies in the community to ensure that women and girls of all identities in Arizona can make their own decisions when it comes to their healthcare.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Hannah Terpening, Director of Marketing and Communications,
Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona Phone: (520) 367-4487/ Email: hterpening@womengiving.org
