Bridging Gaps in California's Abortion Access

rePROs Fight Back

California, a self-dubbed “reproductive freedom state,” scored an A+ on rePROs Fight Back’s forthcoming 50-state report card on reproductive health and rights. However, numerous barriers to abortion– a form of basic healthcare– persist in every state, California included. Jessica Pinckney Gil, Executive Director at ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, California's statewide abortion fund, sits down to talk with us about the fragmentary landscape of abortion access in the state through a reproductive justice lens and progress made in bridging gaps to care.

Abortion is not accessible for many Californians, particularly low-income individuals and those living in rural areas, and fewer than two-thirds of counties in California have abortion clinics, leaving some residents hundreds of miles away from care. Transportation, childcare, unreliable internet access, and taking time off work can present insurmountable obstacles for many. Still, grassroots efforts and legislative initiatives are making strides toward improving abortion access in the state. The California Future of Abortion Council, a group of reproductive justice activists, researchers, providers, and patients, produced two reports featuring recommendations to improve and safeguard abortion access in the state. These recommendations have led to the introduction of 28 pro-abortion bills in the 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions and secured over $200 million in funding to expand abortion access in California.

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