Researchers say minority women in Florida would unfairly feel impact of Roe v. Wade reversal

Some people worry that overturning Roe v. Wade would unfairly impact women of color. Minority women are more likely than white women to have an abortion, and there are several reasons for this.

Researchers say women of color will be in a tough spot if the high court reverses abortion rights.

The prospect of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade has sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Many women on both sides of the aisle are thinking about its impact.

Emer, with the Southwest Florida Red Cloaks, an abortion rights organization, says not all women would be impacted equally.

“This will definitely mostly only affect POC and minority women and persons. You will never end abortion, will only end safe abortions, and at that, you will only unsafe abortions for already struggling folk,” said Emer.

Data from the CDC analyzed by the Kaiser Family Foundation says black women in the US had 38% of all abortions in 2019, more than any other group.

In Florida, Black and Hispanic women had a combined 65% of abortions in 2019. Black women had 35%, more than any other group.

“Middle and upper-class women, especially white women, they’ll continue to have access to safe abortions because they will have the means, the time, the money and the ability to. This only affects the poor and BIPOC women and people. This is an attack on the poor and the already vulnerable,” said Emer.

Yvette Benarroch says abortion itself is an attack on minority communities. She had an abortion when she was young. Now regrets it and advocates against it.

“I mean, the facts are the facts, and the numbers don’t lie. Statistically, black babies and brown babies are aborted at a faster,r and higher rate than white babies. So you’re literally killing the minority population,” said Benarroch.

She argues more education about pregnancy prevention is what would really help women of color.

“Abortion is not empowering women, it’s actually breaking women. It’s damaging women,” said Benarroch.

Some researchers argue restricting abortion could have deadly consequences for minority women.

A researcher with the University of Colorado Boulder argues banning abortion would result in a 21% increase in pregnancy-related deaths nationwide and a 33% increase among black women. The study argues carrying a pregnancy to term is riskier than abortion, especially for black women who have a higher maternal death rate.