Washington, D.C. — Disabled people have historically been neglected in the fight for reproductive rights and autonomy despite 1 in 4 U.S. adults having a disability. It is past time for policymakers to address reproductive equity for disabled people. A new CAP column features a poll conducted with Data for Progress showing how likely voters view disability and reproductive equity. The column also provides a historical background on disability and reproductive rights in the United States and recommendations for policymakers to address this inequity.
Key findings from the poll include:
- 55 percent of likely voters with disabilities stated abortion should be legal in most cases. Disabled women are much more likely to face complications during pregnancy and childbirth, with significantly higher mortality rights compared with nondisabled women.
- 59 percent of likely voters, both disabled and nondisabled, believe adults under conservatorships should have the right to make decisions about their reproductive health. About 1.3 million people remain under conservatorships and lack the ability to make decisions about birth control or abortions.
- 74 percent of likely voters, both disabled and nondisabled, think that courts should not terminate parental rights based solely on disability status. Approximately 4.1 million parents in the United States have a disability. Disabled parents may be twice as likely as nondisabled parents to interact with the child welfare system and more than three times as likely to have their parental rights terminated.
The Biden administration should ensure that the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are utilized to ensure disabled people gain reproductive and sexual health equity. Congress should pass a resolution to establish a national Disability Reproductive Equity Day to send a strong signal to the United States about the importance of protecting and advancing disabled people’s reproductive rights.
“It is imperative that policymakers pay greater attention to the disability community’s priorities and concerns about their reproductive rights, including the right to form and maintain a family and the right to have an abortion,” said Mia Ives-Rublee, director of the Disability Justice Initiative at CAP and author of the column. “Reproductive rights and equity have long been ignored for disabled people, which is why it is essential to bring their issues to the forefront.”
Read the column: “It’s Past Time To Address Reproductive Equity for Disabled People” by Mia Ives-Rublee
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Jasmine Razeghi at [email protected].