Statement of National NOW President Christian F. Nunes
WASHINGTON, DC–President Biden’s State of the Union address set an optimistic tone, full of progress and possibility. He spoke of restoring the soul of the nation, which includes ensuring that women can make their own decisions about their reproductive health.
NOW members know that Joe Biden is right, and we appreciate the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on protecting access to abortion, including medical abortions.
Dr. Jill Biden invited Amanda Zurawaski, who nearly died after being denied a medical intervention because Texas’ abortion law, to join her in the presidential viewing box. And members of Congress brought abortion providers and women who were made to travel across state lines and pay thousands of dollars to receive abortion care as their guests.
It was uplifting to see the level of commitment on display at the speech, and we know that the work to achieve a truly intersectional feminist state of the union continues. President Biden delivered a State of the Union address with goals that covered a lot of important ground—but we have to gain every inch of that progress through our own activism and commitment.
President Biden wants to lead a government that has our back—that sees those who’ve been unseen, marginalized and left behind, and we thank him for uplifting those who are usually forgotten. NOW members understand that fight very well. Like President Biden, we are committed to the goals of a feminist state of the union–and we’re not turning back.
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The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the nation’s leading membership-based advocacy group dedicated to defending women’s rights, advancing equality and combating injustice in all aspects of social, political and economic life. Through educating, mobilizing, and convening a vast network of grassroots activists across the country, NOW advocates for national, state and local policies that promote an anti-racist and intersectional feminist agenda. Since its founding in 1966, NOW has been on the frontlines of nearly every major advancement for women’s rights and continues to champion progressive values today. More about NOW’s efforts and resources is available at NOW.org.