The war on women is an especially fierce battle for women of color and their access to health care, says France François at Ebony.
Although placing restrictions on abortions affects all women, young women of color and low-income women would bear the brunt of any bill that restricts access to health services. Consider the following:
• 37% of abortions are obtained by Black women (22% for Latinas, and 34% for white women).
• 42% of women obtaining abortions are poor, living below the federal poverty line.
• Because of restrictions placed on Medicaid to exclude abortion coverage, 25% of low-income women who want to access abortion services cannot immediately receive it. Having to save money to offset the cost of abortions often causes these women to obtain abortion care two to three weeks later in pregnancy than wealthier women.
Read France François' entire piece at Ebony.com.
The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.