Letter to the editor: Trust Kansas women to make the right choices about abortion

What is needed

On April 22, The Star printed a letter written by an anti-choice paid lobbyist noting that five medical associations inaccurately say performing abortions during a pandemic is irresponsible and that “abortion businesses are ... encouraging women to travel here (to Kansas) from out of state for abortions.”

In fact, the website of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an organization representing 500,000-plus professionals who are unafraid to take a stance for what is the best health care for women, states they “do not support COVID-19 responses that cancel or delay abortion procedures. Community-based and hospital-based clinicians should consider collaboration to ensure abortion access is not compromised during this time.

“Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care. It is also a time-sensitive service for which a delay of several weeks, or in some cases days, may increase the risks or potentially make it completely inaccessible. The consequences of being unable to obtain an abortion profoundly impact a person’s life, health and well-being.”

Although Kansans for Life thought it ironic that women are traveling for abortion care, defying stay-in-place orders, states’ repressive legislation, influenced by their lobbying bodies, is what is forcing patients to move from state to state.

Women are strong. They will do what they need to do to control their lives. Making their health care safe and legal — and any medical procedure a decision between them and their physician — should be what is necessary.

- Ginny Beall, Mission Hills