“Darker Times for Women’s Rights” 

By Sheila Kuehl

The leak of a now-confirmed draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe vs. Wade has made it alarmingly clear that access to abortion services across this country could soon be even more severely limited.

These are suddenly even darker times for women’s rights but, while we mourn this impending grievous loss of liberty, we have to turn swiftly and decisively to action.

Let’s be clear — the movement to overturn Roe vs. Wade has nothing to do with protecting life. If it did, these same people would advocate for comprehensive sex education, access to contraceptives and adequate healthcare and nutrition for young children and expecting mothers. 

If only.

In reality, we all know they argue against all of those. Instead, this long push to reverse Roe is rooted in pernicious misogyny that simply seeks to control and punish women and girls.

This insidious movement to strip women of bodily autonomy will not be successful, at least not in LA County. Years ago, I brought a successful bill in Sacramento that embedded all the rights contained in Roe into California statute.

And at a Board meeting, we passed a motion I co-authored with Supervisor Holly Mitchell to support SB 1245, a bill that would establish a reproductive healthcare pilot project in the County to safeguard patient access to abortions, regardless of residency, as we will likely see a surge in demand from women who live in neighboring states as those states act to and continue to ban abortions.   

Here in LA County we strongly support a woman’s right to choose and will do all we can to prepare (sadly and angrily) for a post-Roe world.

Sheila Kuehl is a LA County Supervisor representing the Third District, which includes portions of the city of Los Angeles, and portions of the North, East and West Valley.