February 26, 2024
PROVIDENCE – In the wake of the IVF ruling in Alabama that grants the status of extrauterine children to embryos, protecting them under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, The Womxn Project has made the following statement:
Granting personhood status to embryos is a draconian move that wrests from people the decision of when, if, or how they become parents. The ruling is the antithesis to the values of reproductive justice, which, in part, rest on protecting the bodily autonomy of birthing people. Jocelyn Foye, executive director of The Womxn Project said,
This move proves that the goal of these right-wing courts is control. It’s never been about safety, life, health, or protecting children.
Ogechukwu Ezike, former TWP board member and resident physician of obstetrics and gynecology at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital of RI said of the ruling,
Equating embryos to living children not only demonstrates a severe lack of understanding of science and medicine but once again demonstrates a fundamental disregard for reproductive health, justice and freedom. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is about giving patients the opportunity to have the families they want. Criminalizing this process is yet another way to take away the reproductive rights of our patients.
The organization stands with the majority of voting people across the country. A recent poll conducted by Americans for Contraception found that most voters across the political spectrum say they believe their access to birth control is at risk. Seventy-two percent of Republican voters said they have a favorable view of birth control. However, while Republicans like Speaker Mike Johnson say they support IVF, they are cosponsoring the Life at Conception Act, which would grant a fertilized egg personhood status with protections under the 14th amendment. (New York Times)
About the Womxn Project
The Womxn Project (TWP) is a statewide organization dedicated to building a strong movement that harnesses the power of art, activism and advocacy. We believe that together we can dismantle systems of oppression and uplift the voices of people in our communities throughout Rhode Island in order to shift power and shape the policies that impact our lives and the lives of our neighbors. We commit to embodying the principles of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, while cultivating innovation and advancing real and lasting change.
