NARAL Calls On Georgia Gubernatorial Debate Moderators to #AskAboutAbortion

“Abortion is not a “niche” issue. Asking about abortion means demanding that the candidates tell us what they think about gender equality and a woman’s right to determine what happens to her own body, allowing voters to compare the two agendas of the gubernatorial candidates. It means moving a complex discussion past the simple “pro-choice” and “pro-life” labels so they can talk about their ideas for supporting women and families. It means determining whether a candidate thinks a woman deserves full access to the values of freedom, equality, and opportunity that New Mexicans believe in, or if she should be punished for ideological reasons.

– Ericka Claudio in her letter to the moderators of Tuesday’s debate

See the full letter below:

October 22, 2018

Dear Moderators, 

With threats to Roe v. Wade and in the lead up to the gubernatorial debate in Georgia this Tuesday, NARAL Pro-Choice America is calling on the moderators of Tuesday’s debate to ask the candidates about their views on reproductive healthcare and abortion. NARAL sent a letter to the moderators defining the stark contrast in the race between Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp when it comes to their views on reproductive freedom.

Debates are a critical opportunity to hold candidates accountable on issues that directly impact the lives of all Georgians. Few things are as important to the wellbeing of citizens across Georgia than the ability to decide if, when, and how to raise their family. We write you today to bring this important conversation into the public sphere. Access to basic reproductive healthcare is extremely limited in Georgia, with restrictions and bans on abortion procedures. Additionally, health-insurance policies offered in the state health-insurance exchange may not include abortion coverage, with few exceptions. For these reasons, we request that you ask the candidates about how they plan to address the crisis of abortion access in Georgia. This crisis leaves women without full control over their own bodies and their own lives. It threatens our health and our economic security.

Abortion is not a “niche” issue. Asking about abortion means demanding that the candidates tell us what they think about gender equality and a woman’s right to determine what happens to her own body, allowing voters to compare the two agendas of the gubernatorial candidates. It means moving a complex discussion past the simple “pro-choice” and “pro-life” labels so they can talk about their ideas for supporting women and families. It means determining whether a candidate thinks a woman deserves full access to the values of freedom, equality, and opportunity that Georgians believe in, or if she should be punished for ideological reasons.

Abortion is not a “niche” issue. Asking about abortion means demanding that the candidates tell us what they think about gender equality and a woman’s right to determine what happens to her own body, allowing voters to compare the two agendas of the gubernatorial candidates. It means moving a complex discussion past the simple “pro-choice” and “pro-life” labels so they can talk about their ideas for supporting women and families. It means determining whether a candidate thinks a woman deserves full access to the values of freedom, equality, and opportunity that New Mexicans believe in, or if she should be punished for ideological reasons.

In past debates, moderators have typically posed questions on abortion that skirt the lived reality of countless women and families in Georgia. We hope that your questions capture the true needs of women.

Below are questions we propose you ask:

1. The majority of women in Georgia do not have an abortion clinic in their county. Abortion rights advocates believe the next governor should make abortion more accessible, calling it healthcare. Anti-abortion activists disagree. How would you address this if elected in November?
2. Georgia prohibits public funding for abortion for women eligible for state medical assistance for general health care. As governor, how would you work to ensure low-income women are able to afford health care?
3. The state of Georgia has a law on the books that provides direct funding for crisis pregnancy centers, often called fake health centers because they pose as comprehensive reproductive-health centers but actually try to prevent women from choosing abortion. Do you support this law or would you work to repeal it?

Few issues are more personal and consequential than the issue of being able to choose whether, when, and with whom to start or grow a family. This issue is too important to leave unaddressed on Tuesday. We hope you’ll allow the candidates to talk about their differing plans to defend and expand our constitutionally protected right to access abortion.

Sincerely,

Ericka Claudio

NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia