Today, the highest court in the land has affirmed that women deserve compassion, respect and dignity in making their own decisions about their health, family and future, without needless barriers. The SCOTUS ruling in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt strikes down a Texas law with unnecessary requirements for clinics and doctors as unconstitutional, allowing all Texas clinics currently open to stay open and paving the way for more clinics to open/reopen in the future. It also establishes a strong legal standard that will protect women’s access to abortion in Texas and in other U.S. states as well.
Rebecca Terrell, Executive Director of CHOICES, says “With this landmark decision the U.S. Supreme Court continues the powerful momentum for women’s rights and against political interference in our right to safe, legal abortion. As an independent non-profit clinic serving an area with many poor women, CHOICES vows that the fight to protect women’s rights and autonomy does not end today. We will continue to provide excellent reproductive healthcare here in Memphis and will continue to advocate on behalf of our patients and all women who need our services.”
Says Terrell, “We are gratified that the Supreme Court has recognized that these clinic shut-down laws violate women’s fundamental rights and are confident that the similar sham laws in Tennessee that CHOICES and other providers have challenged in federal court will soon be struck down.”
Rebecca Terrell is available for interviews. You can contact her at 901-517-6914 or at rterrell@memphischoices.org