(Atlanta, Georgia)—January 19, 2018— Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced the
creation of a new division with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil
Rights. The new division, called the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division (CRFD), will
enforce “laws and regulations that protect conscience and prohibit coercion on issues such as
abortion and assisted suicide” in HHS-funded or conducted programs” according to OCR’s updated website. This latest move by the Trump administration is one of many ongoing efforts to eschew the Department of Health and Human Services’ responsibility to protect and implement practices and policies that safeguard the principles of health equity and access for all Americans.
This is nothing more but an escalation of the past two years’ harmful and discriminatory political rhetoric at the expense of folks from politically marginalized communities.
Religious arguments have long been used in attempts to thwart equality for women, racial minorities, and sexual minorities. But those efforts have time and again been rejected. We, at SisterLove, will continue to tirelessly critique and resist this administration’s efforts to unlawfully discriminate.
Actions undertaken by the CRFD stand to disproportionately impact Black women, women of
color, low-income individuals and families, and LGBTQ+ folks. These ongoing attacks on the ability of women, LGBTQ+ folks, and others to exercise autonomy over their bodies and health will not be idly accepted. Will you join us?