By Sarah E. Murphy

It’s hard to believe it was only 51 years ago today women “won” the right to govern their own bodies.

Even harder to believe a country that prides itself on being free and brave has taken that right away. How can America possibly call itself a civilized nation when women have never been equal to men?

This past Saturday, January 20, I joined a hardy group standing out on the Village Green, once again organized by Penny Duby and the Upper Cape Women’s Coalition. According to my phone, it was 19 degrees, and while lingering in bed earlier that morning, I wanted nothing more than to curl up with my book for the day.

I also couldn’t help noticing the number was symbolic of the 19th Amendment, and I thought, as I often do, of the women who came before me, who fought for my suffrage. Some were beaten and imprisoned, some starved themselves for the cause. Many of those fearless individuals never lived to see the results of their sacrifice or to cast their own vote.

Standing out in the January cold for an hour at the Village Green seemed like a miniscule sacrifice by comparison. 

I always use inclusive language in regard to reproductive justice, specifying that abortion impacts *all people who can get pregnant* but as I’ve also stated before, the War on Women in America has been fueled by religion and patriarchy since the beginning of time, dating back to the Garden of Eden. In my case, that war raged and was emboldened on the altar at St. Patrick’s, where our Catholic priest preached every Sunday about the sin of sex, only acceptable for the “sacred” act of procreation. What better way to guarantee future membership. Threatening the status quo with reproductive choice is the ultimate form of religious boat-rocking. The term “good Catholic family” is really code for “big.” The more children couples are guilted and shamed into having, the more money in the collection basket every Sunday.

To quote my 88-year-old mother, a former Catholic, “Patriarchy is the problem.”

Due to the frigid weather, Saturday’s agenda was brief and to the point. Penny introduced the speakers by underscoring that the Upper Cape Women’s Coalition’s main goal for 2024 is to VOTE and ELECT candidates who support a woman’s right to reproductive health, including abortion.

Those candidates were there to affirm their commitment to fighting for abortion rights, in addition to the local political leaders who have already been forging this fight.

We also heard about the healthcare  standpoint from Emily Gold, director of medical services for Health Imperatives, and Jennifer Longval, an RN at Beth Israel, whose career over the past two decades has been dedicated to helping women in all stages of family-planning, including abortion.

As Emily explained, Health Imperatives has provided safe, affordable sexual and reproductive healthcare to people who “fall through the cracks” since 1977.

In December 2022, Health Imperatives  applied for and was awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to provide medication abortion at its seven locations across Southeastern Massachusetts to help expand access to reproductive healthcare.

Jennifer began with a nationwide statistic: almost 20% of individuals were forced to travel out of their state for abortion care in the first half of 2023 as opposed to 9% in 2020.

She also talked about the mental health impact of preventing someone from making their own reproductive decisions.

“Abortion is essential to the pursuit of an individual’s goals and happiness.” My eyes filled with tears when Jennifer stated that so eloquently. I wouldn’t be writing this, for so many reasons, if I hadn’t had access to a safe, legal abortion when I unexpectedly found myself in need at 23.

Congressman Bill Keating has been fighting for nearly 50 years for a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions. Although he appreciated those who made the effort to attend the event, particularly in light of the weather, he emphasized the need for action.

State Senator Susan Moran underscored the Republican agenda to strip women of their freedom, while also sounding the alarm to engage in dialogue and vote.

In addition to Congressman Keating, Senator Moran has  dedicated her career, while working with State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, to protect  and expand reproductive healthcare in Massachusetts, including the Roe Act.

Rep. Fernandes is seeking Senator Moran’s seat in November as she is running for Barnstable County Superior Court Clerk. As Rep. Fernandes explained, prior to his election in 2017, Cape Cod was an abortion “desert,” with Providence being the closest access, which is where I went when I was a college student in Bridgewater.

Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley shared her fears regarding the future for girls and women, particularly those living in Republican states, including members of her family.

Thomas Moakley of Falmouth is seeking Rep. Fernandes’ seat, which includes precincts 1, 2, and 6 in Falmouth. He cited the 1979 Supreme Court case Duren vs. Missouri, in which Ruth Bader Ginsberg challenged the state’s gender-based jury service exemption.  Not only did he affirm his support for abortion, he admittedly did so “proudly.”

Today, I thought about how lucky I was to be able to decide my future back in 1995, and I want that for everyone, regardless of political party. These aren’t votes on the line, they’re lives – those of the mother, who has become a political pawn. If abortion wasn’t an option for me, mine would have unfolded in a very different way. I would forever be connected to an emotionally abusive person who has since lived a life of crime fueled by addiction. I wouldn’t be living in my hometown by the sea, which fills me with joy and inspires my creativity on a daily basis, married to a loving man, who respects and supports me, and I certainly wouldn’t be a writer.

I will never forget or lose sight of that, and I’ll continue to use my platform to support candidates who support women. Abortion isn’t about politics; it’s about human rights.

Text, photos, and video copyright

Sarah E. Murphy