Kamala Harris learned from her breast cancer researcher mother how seldom women are heard and respected in the health care system. Women of color face even greater inequities:
She would come home mad, mad, just angry sometimes, talking about the inequities around scientific research and the delivery of health care as it relates to women. So as a child I became aware of, and learned, that these disparities exist.
(This whole CAP speech by Harris, on 'Eliminating Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Mortality,' is terrific--video)
Abortion access, birth control, and maternal care are all necessary health care for women. It is not by chance that people who want to restrict one part have no interest in providing another part. They just don’t care about women’s health, period. Black women are doubly devalued.
States with more oppressive abortion laws have higher maternal mortality rates. There is a well-established inverse relationship between abortion restrictions and the health and well-being of women and children: our state-by-wingnut-state laws provide evidence (Ibis Reproductive Health):
This 2017 Evaluating Priorities report finds once again that the more abortion restrictions a state has passed, the fewer evidence-based supportive policies exist, and the poorer the health and well-being outcomes for women and children.
Our abysmal maternal health care is packed with inequity and bias, harming a disproportionate number of black women (Harvard):
Put simply, for black women far more than for white women, giving birth can amount to a death sentence. African American women are three to four times more likely to die during or after delivery than are white women. According to the World Health Organization, their odds of surviving childbirth are comparable to those of women in countries such as Mexico and Uzbekistan, where significant proportions of the population live in poverty.
Abortion restrictions do not affect all women equally, notes Lisa Maldonado, executive director of the Reproductive Health Access Project (USNews):
"Most people getting abortions are white. So, just talking numbers, everyone will be affected," she says. Still, "people with means will be able to access the care they need; they just travel to states where abortion is available. This is really just an overall reflection of the way our society works. Racism and patriarchy permeate everything and affect women and minorities the most, and those at the intersections, minority women, are the worst off."
"The idea that supposed leaders have passed a law that would criminalize a physician for assisting a woman on something that she, in consult with her physician, with her God, with her faith leader, has made a decision to do, that it’s her body that you would criminalize--for up to 99 years, which is a life sentence--and this is the same state, and the same kind of people, who also stand in the way of what women need in terms of a ban on existing conditions, to have access to prenatal care--they need to check their hypocrisy."
As a presidential candidate, she has proposed the Reproductive Rights Act. Modeled on the preclearance provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, the Department of Justice would block states from enacting laws which conflict with Roe v Wade.
Senator Harris has spoken out against the extremism of Trump’s judicial nominees. She has confronted them (example: District Court nominee Wendy Vitter). She challenged Kavanaugh: "Can you think of any laws that give government the power to make decisions about the male body?" (video) She has also introduced and supported legislation for reproductive health, access, and equity:
Do No Harm Act
On Feb. 28, 2019, Harris reintroduced a bill she first sponsored in 2018, the Do No Harm Act (S.593). This bill amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). It would remove “conscience clause” barriers to women’s access to reproductive healthcare, and also end many other ways the Religious Freedom Act has been interpreted to license discrimination:
Since its 1993 inception, RFRA has been used to discriminate against and harm others, including LGBTQ individuals, women, and children.[...]
“The freedom to worship is one of our nation’s most fundamental rights. That First Amendment guarantee should never be used to undermine other Americans’ civil rights or subject them to discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity,” said Harris.
The Do No Harm Act would prevent the RFRA being used to deny:
discrimination laws or promotion of equal opportunity, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Workplace protections or protections against child abuse
Healthcare access, information, referrals, provisions, coverage or services
And much more—see links above for details
This bill was first introduced in response to the Supreme Court’s 2014 Burwell v Hobby Lobby ruling, which allowed employers to deny employees contraceptive coverage. A 5-4 majority granted “artificial legal entities” the right to “opt out of any law (saving only tax laws)” under cover of religion, as Justice Ginsburg said in her blistering dissent. (As CA AG at the time, Harris had coauthored an amicus brief with MA AG Coakley, urging the court to rule in favor of women’s access to healthcare.)
Pharmacists have denied women misoprostol to complete miscarriages safely--and the Trump administration is expanding the “conscience clause”, allowing even more healthcare discrimination against women and gay or transgender patients, and imperiling vaccination efforts (NYT):
President Trump on Thursday announced an expanded “conscience rule” to protect health care workers who oppose abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds. [...]
“The rule allows a very wide range of people — from the receptionist to the boards of hospitals and everyone in between — to deny a patient’s medical care if their personal beliefs get in the way,” said Fatima Goss Graves, the president of the National Women’s Law Center.
I include the Do No Harm Act here for its reproductive rights aspects, but it has a much wider impact. In EEOC v R.G. & G.R., an employee was fired because she was transgender. Publicly funded religious foster agencies in SC reject same-sex and non-Christian couples. RFRA was used as a child abuse defense in Indiana under Mike Pence. This bill would end all that, restoring clear civil and legal rights to all those currently harmed by RFRA interpretations:
The bill honors two core American values: religious freedom and equal protection of the law. And it couldn’t be more important right now.
The Do No Harm Act is simple: It’s designed to restore the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to its original intent. It will preserve the law’s power to protect religious exercise, but also clarify that it may not be used to harm others.
A selection of reproductive health legislation cosponsored by Senator Harris:
She cosponsors Sen. Blumenthal’s Women's Health Protection Act of 2019 (S.1645), which protects women’s ability to determine whether and when to bear a child or end a pregnancy, and protects health care providers’ ability to provide reproductive healthcare, including abortion services. The bill’s protections are inclusive of all pregnant people, regardless of race, immigration status, sex (including gender identity, sex stereotyping, or sexual orientation), age, or disability status.
Sen. Harris also cosponsors Sen. Duckworth’s Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Actof 2019, which would repeal the Hyde amendment and restore abortion coverage for millions of women. S.758
In Feb. 2019, Sen. Harris joined colleagues to re-introduce the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act, which would permanently lift the Global Gag Rule preventing foreign NGOs from giving women abortion information or services as part of comprehensive family planning services.
She has also cosponsored two bills introduced by Sen. Patty Murray: The Jeanette AcostaInvest in Women's Health Act (S.1735), which reduces health care disparities by increasing access to screening for gynecologic cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar). Also, Murray’s Affordability is Access Act (S.1847), which ends insurance companies’ cost-sharing for over-the-counter contraceptives. Currently, insurance companies can require co-pays for OTC birth control unless a prescription is obtained, creating cost and logistical barriers.
Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
We are an outlier among nations for our worsening maternal health numbers; maternal deaths have almost tripled in the last 25 years (NPR/ProPublica):
A mother giving birth in the U.S. is about three times as likely to die as a mother in Britain and Canada.
In the course of our reporting, another disturbing statistic emerged: For every American woman who dies from childbirth, 70 nearly die. That adds up to more than 50,000 women who suffer "severe maternal morbidity" from childbirth each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A patient safety group, the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health[...]put the nationwide number at around 80,000.
Racial disparities occur throughout our health care system, but maternal health stands out in a bad way (NPR/ProPublica):
According to the CDC, black mothers in the U.S. die at three to four times the rate of white mothers, one of the widest of all racial disparities in women's health. Put another way, a black woman is 22 percent more likely to die from heart disease than a white woman, 71 percent more likely to perish from cervical cancer, but 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes.
The inequities persist even in higher socioeconomic groups. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, the chief medical director for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (NPR/ProPublica):
"you can't educate your way out of this problem. You can't health care-access your way out of this problem. There's something inherently wrong with the system that's not valuing the lives of black women equally to white women."
Denise Oliver-Velez wrote a primer on this topic for Black Maternal Health Week. Black Maternal Health Week was founded and led for the last two years by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) addresses the Black maternal health crisis, with a policy agenda that upholds reproductive freedom and right to birth justice. Senator Harris has introduced resolutions in 2018 (S.459) and 2019 (S.818) Recognizing "Black Maternal Health Week"—with companion bills in the House introduced by Rep. Alma Adams—recognizing that black women experience high, disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. The Black Maternal Health Caucus, co-founded by Rep. Adams and Rep. Lauren Underwood, also shines a much-needed light:
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Black women are facing a maternal health crisis. The only way to solve this is to speak the truth and act: This is a public health crisis. Thank you, Reps. Adams and Underwood for fighting to make sure Black women are heard. https://t.co/IDy75HU4rx
For the last two years, Senator Harris has introduced the Maternal CARE Act. Originally introduced in 2018 as S.3363, (LATimes):
As California’s attorney general, she implemented training to respond to biases in law enforcement. Now she’s applying that to black maternal mortality[...]
After Harris read a 2017Voxstory and 2018 The New York Times Magazine piece on this crisis, she translated empathy into action, working with her staff on a plan for targeted legislation:
“It was devastating,” recalled Harris to HuffPost this week. “When I was able to see to the numbers, it propelled me. It prompted me to do something.”
“Black mothers across the country are facing a health crisis that is driven in part by implicit bias in our health care system. We must take action to address this issue, and we must do it with the sense of urgency it deserves,”said Harris. “My Maternal CARE Act will establish implicit bias training throughout the medical profession and help ensure that women—especially Black women—have access to comprehensive, culturally competent care.”
The bill:
Creates a new $25 million program to address racial bias in maternal health care with evidence-based implicit training.
Allocates $125 million to identify high-risk pregnancies and give mothers care and resources.
Helps medical schools incorporate bias recognition in clinical skills testing.
S.1600 here. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Alma Adams—H.R.2902.
Coordinating bills on maternal health cosponsored by Senator Harris
Sen. Booker’s MOMMIES Act (S.1343) expands access to support services: It extends Medicaid coverage for postpartum women from 60 days to a full year, ensures access to primary care providers, and increases access to doula care. It was first introduced in 2018, with Harris and Gillibrand as cosponsors. CARE, MOMS and MOMMIES complement and enhance each other.
Staffing notes—women’s reproductive health represented
In March 2019, Senator Harris added Heather Huttto her staff as State Director:
She is currently organizing Maternal Morbidity roundtables with health care professionals to discuss implicit bias in health care throughout the state to amplify Senator Harris’Maternal CARE Act legislation.
As snowman3’s story on presidential campaign staff noted, Harris’ co-national political director is Missayr Boker, who previously worked for NARAL Pro-Choice America, and also worked to reduce maternal mortality in Liberia; a comprehensive reproductive rights representative.
Kamala Twitter—Post-Debate Views:
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If those segregationists had their way, I would not be a member of the United States Senate, and I certainly would not be a serious candidate for president of the United States. pic.twitter.com/iQi3TeNZ4G
So to see a Black women be her most authentic and confident self was POWERFUL.
To see that LIFELONG habit of preparation paying off in real time was so beautiful and I'm so inspired by it.
â Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) June 28, 2019
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Today is an emotional day for us all...rightfully so. We're finally seeing ourselves - the brilliance and preparedness - be acknowledged on a constant loop today. It's dope, and I'm walking with a fearless pep in my step because of @KamalaHarris today!#ForThePeople#TheRealDeal
â Deitra Matthews (@deitramatthews) June 28, 2019
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"Presidential", "Assertive","Empathetic", "She wasn't afraid to challenge power."
BIG upward movement for Harris (8% -> 17%) and downward movement for Biden (42% -> 32%) in our polling with @MorningConsult after the debates. https://t.co/KtQVHEszol
We have a president who believes in science fiction. I believe in science fact. Climate change is real and we're in the midst of a climate crisis. We need a #GreenNewDeal and as president, on day one, America will rejoin the Paris Agreement. #DemDemate
When I think about the issues, I think about how they impact real people when they wake up in the middle of the night, trying to figure out how to make it all work. pic.twitter.com/0EPv7qF0mq
Fifty years ago today when Stonewall Inn was raided, brave LGBTQ+ New Yorkers â led by trans women of color â stood up and fought back. We must continue to speak truth today that transphobia and homophobia are real in our country, but we will leave no one to fight alone. #Pride
WARNING: For 5 months a small group of black cyber security experts have been watching a bunch of black Trumpers using #ADOS& warning it was the leading edge of a racist Russian cyber attack on @KamalaHarris. Many bots. Some trolls. Here it is. Find. Block. Report. https://t.co/ZrsJcbcPrW
Please remember to visit our community group pageKamala2020and give us a follow! That way all our group efforts will appear in your stream; this makes it easy for everyone to keep up with our latest posts. As always, any who would like to join our group please leave us a comment and we’ll get your invitation right out to you!
If you’d like to volunteer to host one of our Kamala 2020 diaries, please leave your comment in the”Calling all Volunteers”thread.
Even if you can’t commit to a weekly spot due to your busy schedules, guest bloggers are always welcomed!
This week’s schedule
Please volunteer! Come share your story about why you support Kamala!
When our government works to reject LGBTQ* rights and sow division within our communities, thereâÂÂs never been a more important time to stand together. Show your support for the people with our new pride line. https://t.co/1rcblqLU0b
TheKamala2020community group has been created to positively support Senator Kamala Harris, and not to engage in negativity towards other Democrats running in the 2020 primaries.
All should be made to feel welcomed here. What’snotwelcomed here is petty bickering over any of our preferred candidates, or personal attacks on fellow Democrats. We’re not responsible for the actions of others who may offend, insult or attempt to sow discord and disunity —that’s on them.
What weareresponsible for are our own words and actions —that’s 100% on us.
I’d like to ask all group members, as well as those dropping by who support or are interested in Kamala’s bid for the nomination, that we not respond to negativity from other campaign’s supporters with even more negativity. Let’s do better than our best and respond with respect, humor or try to hold our peace. Recipes and cat pics work, too 😃
Doing no harm costs us nothing... pie-fights will cost us everything.
Upcoming Events:
June 30:March with Kamala Harris at SF Pride
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IâÂÂm attending Kamala Harris for the PeopleâÂÂs event, âÂÂMarch with Kamala at SF PrideâÂÂâ sign up now to join me! https://t.co/EJrg0ebczI
Manisha Koirala and Arvind Swamy from the 1995 movie Bombay (Director: Mani Ratnam Cinematography: Rajiv Menon w Choreographer: Raju Sundaram Music: A. R. Rahman Lyrics: Vairamuthu Singers: Hariharan, Swarnalatha, G. V. Prakash Kumar & Sharadha)
The movie’s plot is built around an inter-religious marriage, the theme of religious intolerance, and the 1992-93 Bombay riots (an anti-Muslim pogrom with ~700 fatalities). The couple has twin sons. The scene leading into this song: Swamy’s character asks his wife (Koirala) for another child--a little daughter. Koirala’s character replies: No! two children is enough! This lighthearted song is the fantasy version of that exchange. (Spoiler alert: The woman gets final say in this. No more children.)
Kuchi Kuchi Rakkamma
(he): Lovely Rakkamma, listen--
give me a darling doll.
The whole world sleeps, the moon is lost.
Lovely Rakkamma,
a darling doll...
(she): Lovely Rakkamma shall not come near!
She will not give you a darling little doll!
The whole world is not asleep; the moon is not lost!
Lovely Rakkamma shall not come near!
She will not give you a darling little doll!… ….
(he): Don’t break my heart!...I want only this!... ….
(she): I won’t fall for your sweet talk!...Just give up!...
