Justice Clarence Thomas mused about revisiting the right to contraception, granted by the Supreme Court decades ago. President Trump declared that he’ll defund Planned Parenthood, condemning “DEI,” of course. And, some in Maine have joined the party.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider of quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care, and sex education. More than 2 million patients each year use those services.

There are 66 million women between ages 15-40 in the U.S., and 270,000 live in Maine. Women now make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force — service workers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, caregivers, mothers and more.

The new fight is led by a president who follows the Project 2025 wish list of conservative financiers and the religious right in return for enacting their restrictive vision of a long-gone era. Rigid decisions of the Supreme Court and states ignore the realities of childbearing.

Poverty, inadequate education, ignorance of contraception, low wages, existing children, abuse and rape are among the factors women face. And, no child should be forced to continue a pregnancy. Women deserve to direct their own lives, yet little is done to restrict men’s sexuality. Project proponents attack laws on sex discrimination, civil rights, work and contraception, and dictates the optimum family as a married man and woman, with children. There is no acknowledgement of the reality that the world has changed. Maine’s laws on women’s rights should remain, and women should feel safe with their choices.

Dawn Leland
Portland