Former Florida Planned Parenthood CEO: Our right to abortion in ‘grave jeopardy’

The leaked US Supreme Court draft majority opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case shows our constitutional right to abortion, to control our own bodies, is in grave jeopardy, both nationally and here in Florida.

If 50 years of protections under Roe v. Wade is overturned by a handful of Justices hostile to abortion rights, it is estimated that 26 states could swiftly move to ban abortion. In Florida, the 15-week abortion ban recently signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, with no exceptions for rape and incest, means Floridians will no longer have power over their own bodies and their own lives. And abortion rights opponents have already signaled they won’t stop there, underscoring how this unconscionable legal decision is part of a much larger, coordinated attack on our bodily autonomy.

Let’s be clear: abortion is health care. If this decision moves forward, politicians throughout the country and here in Florida will act quickly to insert themselves between patients seeking abortion care and their doctors. Regardless of how one feels about abortion at different points in a pregnancy, a person’s health, not political agendas, should drive important medical decisions. Politicians should make sure abortion is safe, legal, and accessible and then stay out of it.

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From USA Today: 'People will travel': What overturning Roe v. Wade could mean for abortions across state l

Related: Supreme Court verifies authenticity of leaked opinion in abortion case but says decision not final

We know that Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other people of color will be disproportionately impacted by overturning Roe v. Wade. Now, more than ever, we must fight like hell for our rights and for the rights of all marginalized communities. Gov. DeSantis, who just signed his own abortion ban, likes to talk about the free state of Florida. Well, we can’t rest until every person, no matter where they live, how much money they make, or what they look like, has the freedom to make decisions about their own lives and futures.

The Supreme Court’s draft decision is a slap in the face to the strong majority of Americans who support abortion access. Abortion bans and restrictions are deeply unpopular, with a Washington Post-ABC poll finding that 75% of people want decisions on abortion left to the woman and her doctor, including 95% of Democrats, 81% of independents and 53% of Republicans. A Gallup poll finds that 80% of the American public think abortion should be legal. And a poll conducted by the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab, after HB 5 was passed in Florida, found that 60-percent of registered voters in Florida oppose this 15-week abortion ban.

If you believe you should control your own body and your own future, this is a time to organize, not despair. The official Supreme Court ruling will not come until June, and there is still a chance the vote count could change. Abortion is still legal in Florida, and clinics and support networks remain open and are providing care to patients throughout the state. Moreover, Florida’s 15-week abortion ban will not take effect until July 1, and a separate lawsuit will likely be filed to challenge this law in state court, so stay tuned.

Taking away the constitutional right to abortion will open the floodgates for states across the country, including Florida, to outlaw reproductive freedom and take control over our bodies and futures. This leaked draft decision is dangerous and will harm millions of Americans if it is the final ruling handed down by our nation’s highest court.

Lillian Tamayo, a member of the Palm Beach Post Editorial Advisory Board, recently stepped down as President/CEO at Planned Parenthood South, East and North Florida.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Supreme Court draft opinion on Roe v. Wade, abortion bad for Florida