BCVoices Inc.

BC Voices celebrates Arab-American Heritage Month by honoring Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian-American activist who has become a prominent voice in the fight for reproductive rights and women’s freedom in the United States. She is a co-founder of the Women’s March, a movement that aims to promote social justice, equality, and women’s rights. Sarsour’s activism is driven by her personal experiences as a Muslim woman living in the United States, and she works tirelessly to raise awareness about the challenges faced by Arab-American women in particular.

Sarsour is a vocal advocate for access to affordable health care and family planning services, including abortion. Speaking out against gender-based violence and discrimination, she has worked to promote greater representation for women in political and social spheres. She’s a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, which provides access to health care for millions of Americans, and of Planned Parenthood, which provides critical health care services to women across the country.

Sarsour’s commitment to justice and equality goes hand in hand with the latest episode of our Stand UP, Speak OUT docuseries: Reproductive Rights. Check it out to watch women telling their stories about having or not having reproductive control in their lives. Hear them speak frankly about their experiences with sterilization, birth control, abortion, and family planning.

As we celebrate the progress that has been made towards gender equality, it’s important to remember that there is still so much work to be done. The Equal Rights Amendment was first proposed 100 years ago, and yet it still hasn’t been fully ratified. A recent article in The 19th sheds light on why the Equal Rights Amendment is still a work in progress and highlights the ongoing efforts of activists who are pushing for its ratification.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has been a long-standing issue in the United States since its introduction 100 years ago in 1923. The ERA has yet to be fully ratified and become an amendment to the Constitution.

The ERA was first introduced in 1923 by suffragist Alice Paul and was later re-introduced in every session of Congress until it was passed by both houses in 1972. By 1977, 35 states had ratified the amendment, and two more by 2017, but the deadline for ratification expired without the required two thirds of states ratifying it.

In 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA, which would have met the two-thirds requirement for ratification. However, the Department of Justice under the Trump administration issued an opinion stating that the deadline for ratification had already passed.

Efforts to challenge the DOJ’s opinion continue, with a lawsuit filed by several states and advocacy organizations arguing that the deadline for ratification is not valid and that the ERA should be adopted.

Despite advances in women’s rights over the past century, women still face discrimination and inequality in many areas, including pay, healthcare, and representation in government. The ERA would provide constitutional protection for women and transgender individuals, serving as a critical step towards achieving gender equality in the United States.

BC Voices tells the stories of women facing challenges and driving change for full equality from America’s founding to today. Our docuseries Stand UP, Speak OUT tells the story of the dramatic shift in women’s lives over the last 50 years, and the hard-won freedoms and independence at risk today. See our latest episode about Reproductive Rights to learn more!

Since the US Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that abortion is not protected by the US Constitution, abortion access has been in the forefront of the news, as states across the country continue to pass restrictive laws and bans on abortion. Activists are fighting back in state courts to maintain women’s right to make their own decisions about reproductive health.

An abortion ban in North Dakota is on hold while a case filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights and other activists is being litigated. Under the law, a doctor who performs an abortion would be charged with a felony and then have to prove the procedure was done in cases of either rape or incest or to save the mother’s life.

Abortion providers in South Carolina successfully argued in state court that an abortion ban after 6 weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant, violates the South Carolina state constitution’s right to privacy.

While legal action continues, organizations like the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP) are working to ensure women have access to the care they need, regardless of their income or location. A nationwide non-profit organization, WRRAP provides financial assistance to low-income women seeking abortion care, referrals to abortion providers and other reproductive health services, and advocacy for reproductive rights.

These developments highlight the urgent need at the state level for continued advocacy and support for reproductive rights. Activists are working to ensure all women have access to safe and affordable abortion care.

To learn more about how having, or not having, reproductive rights affects women’s lives, watch women from four generations tell their personal stories in Stand UP, Speak OUT Episode 3: Reproductive Rights.