AAPI women stand against new Title X domestic “gag rule”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2018
Contact: Dorothy He
(872) 600-9517 / dhe@napawf.org

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Trump administration is expected to announce a new rule that would prohibit clinics who perform or even refer abortion services from receiving any federal funding through the Title X program. Title X, which is dedicated solely to family planning and other preventive care services for low-income and uninsured people, currently services over 4 million people in the country — over half of whom are women of color. National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) Executive Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow issued the following statement in response:

“We are once again appalled by the administration’s attacks on women, especially women of color, when it comes to our ability to access basic health services and control our own lives. Under this new rule, clinics receiving any Title X funds cannot even refer patients for safe and legal abortion. When clinics and community health centers can no longer receive Title X funding, women will lose access to other sexual and reproductive health services — such as birth control, cancer screenings and Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI) testing and treatment. The 13 percent of Title X patients who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) will also lose access to critical language assistance services, on which some Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women rely to receive sexual and reproductive health services.

“AAPI women already lack access to accurate sexual health information and low-cost, effective contraception. They do not need anti-choice rules that deprive them of accurate information about their health care options and the ability to make decisions about their reproductive health. Through repeated attacks on preventive care and access to contraception, and its unprecedented anti-abortion agenda, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: low-income women and women of color do not get to decide for themselves if, when and how to become parents.

“NAPAWF stands against each and every one of the constant attacks on our dignity and agency. Reproductive justice cannot be achieved until every person can receive the medical care and information that they deserve, and can make fully informed decisions about their health and families.”

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF): NAPAWF is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build a movement to advance social justice and human rights for Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls.