Jackson, IBLC: Today is a dark day for Indiana

Today, the Indiana Supreme Court voted to uphold the Indiana Republican near-total abortion ban which was passed last summer. State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond), released the following statement on behalf of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), of which she is the Vice Chair:

“This is a dark day for Indiana. Last summer, we heard from countless women and health care providers about how access to safe and legal abortions saves lives, the health of women and allows countless women to remain active members of society and the workforce. With the ban now in effect, I’m terrified to think about the effect this will have on women, girls and public health outcomes in Indiana.

“We cannot forget that this near-total abortion ban will disproportionally impact African American women and women of color. Indiana already has the third highest rate of maternal mortality in the nation, and the rates for Black women are much higher than the average rate for Hoosier women overall. We simply cannot afford to do anything that will put pregnant Hoosier women at greater risk for health complications, and yet, here we are. We in the House Democratic Caucus and the IBLC will continue to do everything in our power to reinstate bodily autonomy for Hoosier women and girls.”

“The right to control one’s own body is the right to control one’s own destiny,” State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the IBLC, added. “This decision from the state Supreme Court is disheartening, but I and my colleagues remain committed to helping every Hoosier –regardless of gender, race or income – access the health care that is best for themselves and their families, and to ensure that women are not second-class citizens in Indiana.”