An abortion advocacy group based in Massachusetts is expanding into neighboring states, with the goal of making New England an abortion haven.
Reproductive Equity Now is merging with Pro-Choice Connecticut, and will cover both Massachusetts and Connecticut as well as New Hampshire. Liz Gustafson, former director of Pro-Choice Connecticut, will now serve as the Connecticut state director for Reproductive Equity Now.
“It is clear that the fight for reproductive freedom is being fought, and won, state-by-state, region-by-region. Now, we’re growing our team and our footprint to expand the capacity of advocates in the state and build a regional powerhouse for abortion access,” she told WSHU. “We’re thrilled to be carrying on Connecticut’s long record of reproductive health care leadership and doing the work to break down barriers to abortion access throughout the region.”
The goal, according to Axios, is to codify abortion into law in those states, as well as repeal any laws which might protect preborn children from abortion. This includes overturning a New Hampshire law which protects preborn children from abortion after 24 weeks gestation – when they are able to survive outside of the womb. The group also wants New Hampshire, which has not yet codified abortion into law, to do so.
Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund sent an e-mail lauding the expansion of abortion across New England, according to NHPR. “(Planned Parenthood of Northern New England) operates in close network with other local family planning providers, and we depend on each other,” Kayla Montgomery, vice president of public affairs, said. “This is a wide but fragile safety net of providers. As an advocacy organization, PPNHAF welcomes all partners to our coalition who are committed to fighting for reproductive rights in the Granite State. The health care landscape continues to shift rapidly nationwide, including here in New Hampshire.”
Peter Wolfgang, executive director for the Family Institute Of Connecticut, posted on Facebook that the NARAL chapter in Connecticut is being dissolved as well. NARAL has also recently rebranded, dropping the “pro-choice” label to market abortion as “freedom” instead.
“I think these groups have doubled down on the fact that the only thing they are really about is abortion,” Wolfgang told WTNH. “They want abortion for all. They want everybody to pay for it, and it’s really just a sad thing to do.”
