Trust Women Month: Why Asian Americans Need to Stand Up for Reproductive Rights

by Sophia Yen MD MPH

I have always felt that Asian-Americans could be counted upon to support reproductive rights and this great article on Asian-Americans and abortion at New American Media has some statistics backing my gut feeling:

The National Asian Women’s Health Organization found that nearly 70 percent of Asian-American women back the decision to abort; 90 percent support it in cases of rape or incest.

In 2000, ~35% of Asian-American pregnancies ended in abortion, the second highest rate for all racial and ethnic groups … and almost double the 18% rate for whites.

However, at fundraisers for Planned Parenthood, EMILY’s list (a Political Action Committee to elect pro-choice democratic women), and NARAL Pro-Choice America (National Abortion and Reproductive rights Action League), I can literally count the number of Asian-Americans that I see there on one hand. I even made a great friend by approaching her because she was the only other Asian-American in the room.

But you don’t have to give money to support reproductive rights; just make sure you vote against laws that restrict reproductive rights and against members of government that want to take those rights away. For example, currently ~85% of private insurance covers abortion. However, the Republicans’ “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” sponsored by Representative Smith from New Jersey could lead to the end of private insurance coverage for abortion,  through losing tax-deductibility for any plan that includes abortion or through onerous regulations to pay for plans that cover abortion. Since 1976 the Hyde Amendment has prohibited federal funds be used for abortion. The new act would also redefine rape such that if you were drugged or intoxicated, it did not count as rape.

So, I ask you, can I — and all the women, mothers, wives, daughters, nieces, granddaughters, etc. out there — count on you to stand up for reproductive rights?

Supporting reproductive rights means that you Trust Women to make their own reproductive health decisions, rather than having the government or one religious view decide.

With some help, I started the Silver Ribbon Campaign to Trust Women a.k.a Trust Women Month to bring together all the people that Trust Women with private health choices and to show our numbers. To find out how you can show your support, join the Silver Ribbon campaign to Trust Women for Reproductive Rights and Justice.

Sophia Yen, MD MPH works at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford’s Teen and Young Adult Clinic.