OCA Condemns Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade
For Immediate Release
June 24, 2022
Media Contact:
Thu Nguyen, Executive Director
Washington, D.C. — OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates denounces the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In December, 2021, the Court listened to the appeal of Mississippi in the Dobbs case, which demanded the Court to both uphold Mississippi’s ban on abortions past 15 weeks, and overrule Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade was the landmark ruling made in 1973, with a 7-2 majority by the Supreme Court, which granted the constitutional right to abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy.
On May 2nd, 2022, the initial draft majority opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to the public and gave insight on the direction of the SCOTUS decision on Dobbs. The draft detailed that Roe v. Wade would be overruled, ending a nearly 50 year federal protection of reproductive rights within the country, and instead handing the rights of abortion to state jurisdiction. Today, on June 24, 2022, the Court made the official decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“OCA is both deeply angered and saddened by this decision because this ruling will further harm marginalized communities, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in this country who already face barriers to health care, sex education, and other relevant resources,” said OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates National President Linda Ng. “SCOTUS has dealt a major blow to the foundation of equal rights for women in America.”
For the first time in its nearly 50 years of work, OCA also announced its resolution on women’s health rights. The unanimous decision was made on April 24, 2022 at the 2nd quarter OCA National Board meeting, following a discussion on the importance of preserving women’s rights to access health resources and unbiased information in order to make their own health care decisions.
“This resolution also underscores OCA’s recognition that the fight for equitable healthcare access, privacy rights, and equitable access to unbiased information is not just a women’s rights fight, but a civil rights fight. The infringement upon these rights undoubtedly impact the rights of other marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ and disabled, and the right to vote,” said OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates National Executive Director Thu Nguyen. “Despite the dismantling of equity for women with this SCOTUS decision, we recommit to standing with our national and local partners to protect reproductive and other healthcare rights.”
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About OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.