Dr. Jamila Perritt, President and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health, responds to the announcement that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have won the election:
“Today we congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. Their election is a victory in support of compassion, respect, dignity, and truth – values that have been sorely lacking for the last four years.
“We realize this election is not a cure all or a quick fix. But this White House, our White House, has an opportunity to be home to political leaders willing to listen to science and evidence. As physicians providing comprehensive reproductive health care, this is incredibly heartening.”
Their election is a victory in support of compassion, respect, dignity, and truth
“I am struck by the fact that the communities most harmed by the current administration’s policies are those that mobilized and organized, turning out in record numbers to vote, leading the work on the ground, and keeping the issues central to our democracy at the forefront. Our country owes a debt to the Black womxn, Indigenous people, and organizers in communities of color across this nation that led this work and made these results a possibility.
“For the last four years, access to health care, including reproductive health care, has suffered. An absolute failure of leadership in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic caused the death of over 200,000 people. Science and medicine have been disregarded. Communities have suffered.
“Now we have a new opportunity to build a world where no matter the reason, people can access safe, affordable health care in their communities free from stigma, free from barriers, free from criminalization, and free from political interference. As we dismantle and reverse the policies of the last four years, addressing inequities in health outcomes and access to care must be priority for the Biden administration and the new Congress. I look forward to working with policymakers to make sure everyone has access to the health care they need and deserve no matter their income or zip code.”
