Leaders from reproductive rights and faith-based groups gathered at the office of Florida Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) today, delivering a petition and an open letter from members of the faith community across Florida who stand against abortion bans, despite finding the doors locked when they arrived. Burgess is pushing for passage of an abortion ban in Florida during the upcoming legislative session.
“As clergy from a wide spectrum of faiths, we support laws and policies that provide access to comprehensive reproductive health care. This includes access to safe and legal abortion care,” said Kate Lannamann, President of the Florida Interfaith Coalition for Reproductive Health and Justice. “Instead of attempting to ban abortion in Florida, we urge Sen. Burgess to support Ava’s Law to protect and provide care for pregnant and postpartum women who are incarcerated.”
Sen. Burgess, Chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Senate, recently reiterated his support for restricting abortion access in Florida.
The group left thousands of signed petitions opposing abortions bans on Burgess’ doorstep after his staff locked the doors as they approached the office. Faith leaders, reproductive rights advocates and community members then rallied outside of Sen. Burgess’ office, calling out Burgess and other politicians who are inserting politics into private medical decisions best left between a patient and their doctor.
“The right to abortion is in jeopardy here in Florida and across the country,” said Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. “Everyone should have the freedom to control their own body. We cannot be truly free if people like Sen. Burgess are able to impose their beliefs on the rest of us.”
The Florida Interfaith Coalition for Reproductive Health and Justice was joined by representatives from Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, and others. Many held signs or called for “Bans Off Our Bodies,” a national refrain by abortion rights advocates in the wake of the unconstitutional Texas abortion ban.
The letter concludes: “We value real religious liberty which upholds the right of each person to make their own faith-based or conscience-based healthcare decisions. We join our clergy predecessors and people of faith in the past in advocacy for laws and policies that safeguard and strengthen access to reproductive medicine. And, we stand by the work of women’s health centers, including Planned Parenthood, for providing quality and affordable medical care and comprehensive sex education so vital to the well-being of our communities.”
