Over the summer, the United States Supreme Court made headlines when they ruled in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. While some politicians agreed with the decision, other states scrambled to find ways to grant women constitutional rights to abortion. Now, Barnard College will give its students proper access to reproductive healthcare services.
The private women’s institution in New York City shared the news last week. Starting next year, Barnard College will offer abortion pills to its students. In a statement, Dean Leslie Grinage and Chief Health Officer Dr. Marina Catallozzi said the choice was made “in the event that there is a barrier to access in the future, for any reason.” Students can also expect the school to have providers who are “prepared and trained in the provision of medication abortion by Fall 2023.”
People praised the decision on social media. One user tweeted, “Kudos to Barnard College. A real trendsetter. Barnard College will offer abortion pills for students next year.” New York Attorney General Letitia James added, “I’m proud to see @BarnardCollege act to protect access to safe abortion services for its students. It’s our body. It should always be our choice.”
Even actress Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) joined the discussion. “So proud that my alma mater @BarnardCollege is leading the way in ensuring the health [and] wellness of their students by providing access to abortion in the form of a pill,” she posted on Twitter. According to NBC News, New York does currently offer abortion services to residents, however, the college plans to be an added resource.
Barnard College continued, “History and research strongly suggest that the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the constitutional right to legal abortion will have serious negative consequences for women’s futures.” The school added, “The overturning of Roe v. Wade after 50 years will likely decrease college accessibility, result in lower graduation rates and derail employment trajectories. It is expected that people of color and those with limited incomes will be disproportionately harmed.”
See related tweets below.