Kristen McDonald Rivet Responds to SCOTUS Ruling on Abortion
June 24, 2022— Today, the Supreme Court of the United States stripped women of their reproductive rights and put intimate decisions in the hands of state lawmakers. Our community must know how devastating this is for Michigan.
Because Republican lawmakers support Michigan’s extreme, punitive 1931 abortion law, which is now no longer superceded by Roe v Wade, today’s decision will set women and society back in profound ways. It will harm and kill women.
Because Michigan’s House and Senate are led by an increasingly backwards-looking, punitive Republican party, they are blocking Democrats’ attempts to restore reproductive and privacy protections previously guaranteed through Roe.
Michigan should be a state where every person has the ability to live, work, thrive, and raise a family on their own terms. We shouldn’t be a state where women and girls are second class citizens, with reproductive experiences forced on them by politicians. However we personally feel about abortion, do we want the government dictating this for girls and women?
While I support all efforts by our Governor, Attorney General and many Prosecutors to mitigate the catastrophic impact of this complete undoing of Roe v. Wade, this SCOTUS decision makes clear the only viable response is through legislation. Simply put, reproductive rights in Michigan are in the hands of our state lawmakers. It is crucial that we have leadership in the State Senate that reflects our views on this issue. Our Tri-Cities based state senate seat is a top target in Michigan and nationally because it is key to determining legislative control; control that has massive ramifications now.
A Democratic majority will restore our ability to make private, reproductive medical decisions without criminal penalty. A Republican majority will continue blocking attempts to repeal Michigan’s archaic abortion law and will dismantle other reproductive and privacy rights involving contraception and marriage.
My four adult daughters wonder how we arrived at this monumental erosion of women’s rights. I’m done wondering. I’m running to advocate for those no longer protected by Roe. I see Michigan women and girls as the whole human beings they are, deserving of the rights and protections afforded to all other citizens.
If we want to show compassion and care for our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, wives, girlfriends, and friends, we must support elected leaders who will do the same. Spread the word with the urgency this moment demands. Support and vote for those who will protect our rights. We are not without electoral or political power. And, as you might be able, share personal stories or encourage those you know with experiences to share theirs. Knowing the impact can guide perspective and votes.
Kristen McDonald Rivet, Democratic Candidate for State Senate District 35, is an executive leader and policy strategist. In addition to providing strategic leadership to two non-profits focused on improving health and economic outcomes, McDonald Rivet currently serves as a City Commissioner for Bay City. She was President/ CEO of the network of Greater Midland Community Centers from mid 2016 – early 2021. McDonald Rivet was also the lead architect of Michigan’s birth to five system of care (Great Start) and its parent organization, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). These initiatives have improved the lives of millions of Michiganders.